Effect of ligustrum fruit extract on reproduction in experimental diabetic rats

AIM: To study the effect of ligustrum fruit on spermatogenesis and blood gonadal hormones in diabetic rats. METHODS: Experimental diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats with streptozotocin. Ligustrum fruit extract was given by gastric gavage at a dose of crude drug 30 g x kg(-1) x d(-1) for 110 days. The serum gonadadotropic hormones and testosterone were determined on d 60 and testicular histology examined on d 110. RESULTS: In the control diabetic rats, the seminiferous tubules were dilated and the spermatogenic cells irregularly arranged. Spermatogenesis was arrested with the number of spermatids highly reduced and spermatozoa not observed. In the treated rats, all types of spermatogenic cells were practically normal. The serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone levels were higher in the treated than in the control rats, but the difference was insignificant. CONCLUSION: In experimental diabetic rats, ligustrum fruit extract protects the damaging effect of experimental diabetes on spermatogenesis.