title: Effects of Vernonia cinerea on reproductive performance in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: The present study investigated the effects of Vernonia cinerea (VC) on the reproductive function in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male rats. Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: group 1, normal control rats; group 2, diabetic untreated rats; group 3, diabetic rats treated with VC (10 mg/kg); and group 4, diabetic rats treated with VC (40 mg/kg). Diabetes mellitus (DM) was induced by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (60 mg/kg). All animals were treated for 30 consecutive days. Body weight, blood glucose, food intake, epididymal sperm parameters, testicular microstructure and serum testosterone levels were evaluated. VC treatment significantly restored the sperm motility and testosterone concentration, and decreased the testicular histopathological changes in DM rats. Moreover, high-dose VC exhibited an antidibetic activity and significantly improved the sperm count. In conclusion, we found, for the first time, that administration of VC significantly restored the testicular function and testosterone concentration in diabetic male rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Atchariya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pomjunya
authors.forename: Jasada
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ratthanophart
authors.forename: Wirasak
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fungfuang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013311:Streptozocin; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D035741:Vernonia
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D028321:Plant Preparations; D013739:Testosterone; D013311:Streptozocin