Effects of Streptozotocin-induced Diabetes Mellitus on theTestes of Wistar Rats

Abstract

Twenty-one Wistar rats weighing 200 - 250 mg were divided into three groups- the control, saline and the diabetic groups, each comprising of seven rats per group. They were used to assess the effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on testes of Wistar rats. All the animals including the control group received feed mash and water ad libitum, the saline group received equal volumes of physiological saline intraperitoneally while the diabetic group was treated with intraperitoneal 55 mg/kg of streptozotocin. The effects of these treatments on total sperm count,
sperm motility, percentage live:dead sperm and on testicular and epididymal morphology of the Wistar rats were assessed. There was significant difference in the total sperm count (P<0.005) between the diabetic group (24.5±3.7 x 10 6 ) and control (55.8±4.7 x 10 6 ) and in the motile sperm count (P<0.001) between the diabetic group (15.2±2.3 x 10 6 ) and control (50.2±4.3 x10 6 ). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the total (53.0±4.2 x10 6 ) and motile (46.3±3.7 x10 6 ) sperm count in the saline group compared to control. The diabetic group had greater numbers of dead and morphologically abnormal spermatozoa as further evidenced from the histology of the specimens. The findings of this investigation confirms the adverse effects of hyperglycaemia on testicular and epididymal functions in diabetic state.