Berberine attenuates blood glucose, improves sperm functions and reduces oxidative stress in STZ-induced diabetic rats

Managing diabetes and its complications, including infertility, necessitates crucial approaches such as dietary and lifestyle modifications. Research has shown that diabetic men face a heightened risk of reproductive dysfunction compared to their non-diabetic counterparts. This study investigated the effects of berberine on reproductive function in male rats induced to become diabetic with streptozotocin (STZ). Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly assigned to four groups (n=6 per group): Group 1 (Control), Group 2 (Diabetic) received a single dose of STZ (60 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), Group 3 (Diabetic + Berberine) received STZ and berberine (200 mg/kg, orally), and Group 4 (Berberine only) received berberine (200 mg/kg, orally) daily. Diabetes was confirmed by fasting blood glucose (FBG) >200 mg/dL, and berberine was administered for 4 weeks. FBG was monitored weekly. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected by cardiac puncture for biochemical assays (lipid profile, oxidative stress, testosterone level), the testes were harvested for histological analysis, and the caudal epididymis was assessed for sperm analysis. Results indicated that STZ-induced diabetes significantly impaired sperm count, motility, morphology, and testosterone levels (p

Key Words: berberine, infertility, diabetes, antioxidant, testosterone.