Attenuation of Reproductive Dysfunctions by Hydroethanolic Leaf Extract of Fleurya aestuans in Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus produces excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the male gonads resulting to impairments of steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis. Fleurya aestuans is an extremely basic plant with therapeutic properties but it’s frequently viewed as a weed in Nigeria. The present study therefore attempts to examine the effects of the hydroethanolic leaf extract of Fleurya aestuans on reproductive dysfunctions of diabetic rats. The rats were randomly assigned into seven groups of five rats each. Diabetes was induced in all the test groups 2-7 by intra-peritoneal injection of 150mg/kg bwt of alloxan monohydrate. Rats of the first group served as control and were only allowed rat feed and tap water ad libitum. Rats of the second group served as alloxan only group (ALXOG) and received 150mg/kg bwt of alloxan monohydrate. The third, fourth and fifth groups served as low dose extract group (LDEG), medium dose extract group (MDEG) and high dose extract group (HDEG) and received 50, 75 and 200mg/kg bwt of the extract respectively. Rats of the sixth group served as positive control group 1 (PCG1) and received 600mg/kg bwt of glibenclamide while rats of the seventh group served as positive control group 2 (PCG2) and received 100mg/kg bwt of tetrahydroxyflavone. Both extract and drugs were administered orally using oral gavage. The results indicated that the extract significantly reduced (p<0.05) blood glucose levels (203.10±0.10, 136.06±0.06, 111.01±0.01, 106.01±0.08) in contrast to group 2 (399.02±0.02, 277.02±0.02, 291.02±0.02, 383.01±0.00). In addition, the extract significantly improved (p<0.05) conceptive hormones, sperm parameters, SOD, CAT and GSH parameters. Our study confirmed that the leaf extract of Fleurya aestuans can be utilized in the correction of male reproductive dysfunction mediated by diabetes.