Effect of silymarin on oxidative stress biomarker, lipid peroxidation and reproductive function of diabetic albino rats

Abstract EN

The present study was carried out in the animal house and laboratories of the College of Veterinary Medicine/ University of Basrah to investigate the oral administration of silymarin on oxidative stress biomarker, lipid peroxidation and reproductive function in alloxan induced diabetic of albino rats.

After the period of acclimation, 32 male rats were divided into 4 equal groups with 8 animals in each as the following: Control group: Animals of this group administered distilled water, Silymarin group: administered silymarin (20mg/kg) dissolved in distill water orally by gavages.

Alloxan treated (DM) group : were given alloxan intraperitoneal injection 150mg/BW, as single dose for induced diabetic mellitus and Alloxan + silmarin treated group : were injection alloxan intraperitonealy and then after 3 days, oral administered of (20 mg/kg bw ) silymarin .

The experimental was continued for 45 day.

At the end of the experiment, animals of each group were sacrificed, and blood samples were obtained for oxidative stress biomarker, Lipid Peroxidation and hormonal assessment and the caudal epididymis was then separated from the testicles for the evaluation of epididymal sperm characteristics, while the testes were kept in 10% neutral buffer-formalin for histopathological study.

The results showed a significant decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) , Glutathione Peroxidase (GPX) , follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone, concentrations of DM group.

On the other hand a significant decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in epididymal sperm concentration, individual sperm motility, live sperm percentage and a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and sperm abnormalities percentage were recorded in DM group.

Histopathological examination of the testes revealed marked suppression of spermatogenesis with absence of mature spermatocytes of DM group.

Moreover DM groups treated with Silymarine showed normal oxidative biomarkers, hormonal concentration, epididymal sperm characteristics, and normal testicular tissues compare with control group