Fluoride Exposure Aggravates the Testicular Damage and Sperm Quality in Diabetic Mice: Protective Role of Ginseng and Banaba

Abstract

Fluoride toxicity is known to pose infertility in fluoride-intoxicated animals as well as in people residing in fluoride endemic zones. The present study addresses the degree of impairments caused due to co-exposure of high fluoride toxicity in diabetic mice. Swiss mice, Mus musculus, were subjected to fluoride toxicity by providing fluoride-supplemented drinking water (600 ppm NaF) for a period of 30 days after the confirmation of streptozotocin-induced diabetes(STZ, 50 mg/kgbw). Consequently, aggravated hyperglycemia and tissue fluoride accumulation were witnessed in fluoride-intoxicated diabetic mice; later, these toxicated mice were treated with ginseng extract (GE) and banaba leaf extract, (BLE) at dose of 150 mg/kgbw/day alone and in combination for 15 and 30-day duration to check the efficacy of phytoextracts in reversing the toxicity. The spermatological indices studied, such as sperm density, motility, viability and morphology as well as the testicular biochemical parameters showed enhanced impairment in reproductive status of fluoride-intoxicated diabetic mice. Further, 15-days administration of GE and BLE in combination at a dose of 150 mg/kgbw/day was found to be beneficial in normalizing the alterations observed upon fluoride intoxication to diabetic mice. However, the correlates showed moderate association between blood glucose levels and the spermatological as well as biochemical indices wherein the tissue fluoride levels correlate least.

Role of Antioxidant Natural Products in Management of Infertility: A Review of Their Medicinal Potential

“…The antimutagenic or protective effects have been attributed to many classes of phytocompounds mainly flavonoids and phenolic compounds [ 36 ]. The natural antioxidants with free radical scavenging ability have received much attention as potential remedies to treat oxidative stress and abnormal hormone functions [ 18 , 37 ]. Antioxidants can directly scavenge ROS, inactivate them, and repair the damage [ 14 ].…”

“…Biochemical results suggested the possibility of decursin as an infertility treating supplement by exhibiting regulation in the level of antioxidant proteins (SOD, Nrf2, HO-1, and d 8-OHdG), and apoptotic factors (Bcl-2 and Bax). Basha et al investigated the protective role of ginseng and banana leaf extract at a dose of 150 mg/kg for 30 days against testicular damage in streptozotocin mediated diabetic Swiss mice, which was aggravated by induction of fluoride [ 37 ]. These two extracts were each isolated from Panax ginseng C. A. mey and Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers., which are famous traditional Chinese medicines used for hyperglycemia, while ginseng is also known for its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiatherosclerotic effects.…”

Chronic Exposure to Sodium Fluoride Triggers Oxidative Biochemistry Misbalance in Mice: Effects on Peripheral Blood Circulation

“…For example, fluoride at lower concentrations ( μ M) acts as a stimulator and promotes cell proliferation, while at higher concentrations (mM), it inhibits enzyme action, including phosphatases [ 7 , 8 ]. In addition, high doses of ingested fluoride might damage several biological systems, including the central nervous system [ 9 ], reduction of splenic and humoral cell immunity [ 10 ], dysfunction of the male reproductive system [ 11 ], and liver damage [ 12 , 13 ]. Evidence in animal models suggests that fluoride concentrations above 5 mg/L in drinking water can modify cellular processes such as respiration and metabolism, thus leading to oxidative stress [ 7 ].…”

4-phenylbutyrate Mitigates Fluoride-Induced Cytotoxicity in ALC Cells

“…The U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) recommends public water fluoridation at an optimal fluoride concentration of 0.7 ppm (corresponding to 0.04 mM NaF) in order to prevent dental caries (Health and Human Services Federal Panel on Community Water, 2015). On the other hand, fluoride is an environmental health hazard and acute or chronic over-exposure can result in enamel fluorosis (Denbesten, 1999), skeletal fluorosis (Boivin et al, 1989), and reproductive toxicity in animal models (Sm and Mahaboob Basha, 2017). …”