Gum arabic improves semen quality and oxidative stress capacity in alloxan induced diabetes rats

Abstract

Objective: To explore effect of gum arabic (GA) on semen quality and oxidative stress capacity of alloxan induced diabetes rats. Methods: In this study, male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups (n = 20 of each): control group, diabetic group which were injected with alloxan, and diabetic group which was given 10% GA in the form of drinking water for 10 weeks. The effect of GA on testicular oxidative stress and sperm quality were investigated. Testicular antioxidant was detected by the measurement of antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehyde in testis tissue. Moreover, plasma lipids, testis histopathological changes and oxidative stress related genes mRNA were evaluated. Results: The treatment of GA significantly (P < 0.05) increased semen quality compared the diabetic and control groups. Similarly, the treatment of GA significantly (P < 0.05) increased the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase compared to diabetic and control groups. The treatment of GA significantly (P < 0.05) decreased testis malondialdehyde, plasma total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, whereas increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations compared to the diabetic groups. Glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase mRNA expression were significantly (P < 0.05) increased in GA treated group compared to diabetic and control groups. All testes of diabetic rats displayed obvious degeneration; whereas slight degeneration was seen in GA treated rats when compared to diabetic control group. Conclusion: Our findings imply that GA may protect testis via enhancement of antioxidant capacity, it may be useful to meliorate the diabetic fertility complications.

Keywords

• Gum arabic
• Oxidative stress
• Rat
• Testis
• Type I diabetes