Chlorophytum borivilianum (Safed Musli) root extract prevents impairment in characteristics and elevation of oxidative stress in sperm of streptozotocin-induced adult male diabetic Wistar rats

Abstract

BackgroundWe hypothesized that C. borivilianum root, known to improve male reproductive performance, prevents impairment in characteristics, morphology and elevation of oxidative stress in sperm of diabetics. We therefore investigated the effect of aqueous root extract of C. borivilianum on these parameters in diabetic rat model.MethodsC. borivilianum root aqueous extract (250 and 500 mg/kg/day) or glibenclamide (600 μg/kg/day) were administered to streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic male rats for 28 consecutive days. At the end of treatment, animals were sacrificed and sperm were collected. Sperm count and percentages of forward motility, viability, hypoosmotic swelling (HOS) tail-coiled and abnormal sperm were evaluated. Sperm lipid peroxidation product (LPO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and nitric oxide (NO) levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), activity levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase-SOD, catalase-CAT and glutathione peroxidase-GPx), epididymal sperm density, serum fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1c levels were measured. The expression of sperm caspase-3 was assessed. Meanwhile, in-vitro free radical scavenging activity of C. borivilianum root extract was determined and the root extract was analyzed for the presence of bioactive compounds by FTIR spectroscopy.ResultsC. borivilianum root aqueous extract prevents the decrease in sperm count, percentages of forward motility, viability, HOS and the increase in abnormal sperm percentage and caspase-3 level in diabetic rats. Sperm LPO, H2O2 and NO levels, FBG and HbA1c were lower while TAC, SOD, CAT, GPx and epididymal sperm density were higher in diabetic rats receiving C. borivilianum root extract treatment. C. borivilianum root exhibited strong in-vitro free radical scavenging activity which may be due to the phenolic compound.ConclusionsC. borivilianum root extract prevents impairment in sperm characteristics and morphology via preventing elevation of oxidative stress, apoptosis and free radicals levels of the sperm in diabetes. These effects may be achieved through maintaining sperm antioxidant level which could be related to free radical scavenging activity of the root extract by phenolic compounds. These effects could also be due to ability of the extract to maintain near normal serum FBG and HBA1c levels in diabetes.

Phytotherapy in reducing glycemic index and testicular oxidative stress resulting from induced diabetes: a review

“…Mallick et al (2007) and Singh et al (2013) also achieved good results and Giribabu et al (2014) and Shah and Khan (2014) observed that dose increase caused better recovery. Hamden et al (2008) reported that preventive treatment before the onset of diabetes was more efficient for controlling lipid peroxidation levels than the treatment with diabetic animals.…”

“…However, only 10.4% of the studies measured oxidant levels, such as nitric oxide, nitrite/nitrate and hydrogen peroxide. Giribabu et al (2014) and Shah and Khan (2014) observed increased levels of these oxidants respectively in sperm and testicular evaluation of untreated diabetic animals. This occurs due to auto-oxidation of glucose and non-enzymatic glycation during hyperglycemia, with the subsequent increase in the production of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical (Chatterjee et al, 2013).…”

“…This occurs due to auto-oxidation of glucose and non-enzymatic glycation during hyperglycemia, with the subsequent increase in the production of hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical (Chatterjee et al, 2013). Giribabu et al (2014) noted a reduction in the levels of these oxidative stress indicators in the sperm of diabetic rats and underscored the extract's capacity to eliminate free radicals. More efficient results were obtained when higher extract concentration for ROS levels were administered, also corroborated by Shah and Khan (2014).…”

“…Nevertheless, Singh et al (2013) found no significant increase in testicular glutathione S-transferase levels (GST) although Raza et al (2004), Mallick et al (2010), Shah and Khan (2014), Chatterjee et al (2012Chatterjee et al ( , 2013 reported increase of GST levels in testis and/or sperm to the levels of control group. In studies by Mallick et al (2007Mallick et al ( , 2010, Hamden et al (2008), Giribabu et al (2014) and Shah and Khan (2014), the treatment with plant extracts resulted in the recovery of catalase, SOD and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels. Mallick et al (2007) achieved the recovery of catalase and glutathione peroxidase levels and thus antioxidant protection to the testicular tissue.…”

“…In lipid peroxidation, the oxidizing substances, mostly ROS, attack the lipids with carbon-carbon double bond, especially polyunsaturated fatty acids in membranes, and cause apoptosis or necrosis (Yin et al, 2011;Ayala et al, 2014). Sperm plasma membrane has great amounts of the polyunsaturated fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid, which makes it highly susceptible to oxidation (Suresh et al, 2013;Chatterjee et al, 2013;Giribabu et al, 2014). Increase in ROS levels, as observed in diabetic patients, changes membrane permeability, while the attack on mitochondrial membrane leads to reduced ATP production and alteration of sperm motility and morphology (Amaral et al, 2006;Chatterjee et al, 2013).…”