Abstract
Problem statement: Urtica pilulifera L. (Urticaceae), has long been used for the treatment of various aliments including diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia which has a deleterious effect on all systems including reproductive system of animals. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the effects of Urtica pilulifera on the reproductive system of diabetic rats. Approach: Forty male rats were evenly divided into four groups: Group I consisted of non-diabetic rats that received only the vehicle; group II-IV was injected intraperitonially with a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) of 70 mg kg-1; groups III and IV were given methanol extract of Urtica pilulifera orally, 3 days after the STZ injection, at daily doses of 1.0 and 2.0 g kg-1, respectively. After 4 weeks of treatments, all the rats were sacrificed. Results: Administration of 70 mg kg-1 of streptozotocin to male rats induced diabetes and significantly reduced the body and sex organ weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility and significantly increased the glucose levels and water and food intake. By contrast, rats given the Uritica pilulifera methanol extract had significantly improved body weight gain, whereas the glucose levels, water and food intake significantly improved in treated diabetic male rats. In addition, this extract improved the reproductive system of the diabetic male rats by significantly increasing the testis and epididymis weights, testosterone levels, sperm count and motility. Conclusion/Recommendations: We concluded that the adverse effects of STZ-diabetes on reproductive system of male rats can be reversed by treatment with Urtica pilulifera leaf extract; and this leaf extract exhibits antihyperglycemic and spermatogenic activities. Based on these findings, we suggested the possible utilization of Urtica pilulifera extracted as a therapy to prevent the development of diabetes in later life and improved the performance of male reproductive system in animals and humans.
Highlights
Urtica pilulifera L. (U. pilulifera) is an annual plant from the family of Urticaceae that has been extensively cultivated in the Mediterranean region
Crude extracts of plant species of U. pilulifera have long been used in many countries around the world as a traditional medicine for the treatment of various diseases including Diabetes Mellitus (DM)[3,4]
Our results showed that administration of U. pilulifera extract resulted in lowering of blood glucose level, water and food intake significantly and improving body weight gaining in a dose-dependent manner in diabetic male rats with no apparent side effect
Summary
Urtica pilulifera L. (U. pilulifera) is an annual plant from the family of Urticaceae that has been extensively cultivated in the Mediterranean region. (U. pilulifera) is an annual plant from the family of Urticaceae that has been extensively cultivated in the Mediterranean region This plant is commonly known in Roman as Nettle and in Jordan as Qurraus[1,2]. Administration of high doses of streptozotocin (STZ) to male rats leads to a decrease in Leydig cell function, testosterone production, sperm output and fertility[9]. This decrease may be the result of absence of the stimulatory effect of insulin on these cells. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of methanol extract of U. pilulifera on diabetes induced male rat’s reproductive structures and functions, such as sperm motility and count, sex organ weights and testosterone secretion
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