Journal of Advanced Biomedical Sciences

Background & Objective: Diabetes causes reproductive disorders by endocrine glands dysfunction. Also curcumin has antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of curcumin on pituitary-gonadal axis, DNA oxidative damage and antioxidant enzymes activity of testicular tissue in male type one diabetic rats.
Material & Methods: In this experimental study 40 male Wistar rats were allocated into 5 equal groups (n=8). Control group, non-treated diabetic group (30 days, intraperitoneal injection of dimethyl sulfoxide) and treated diabetic groups with doses 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg of curcumin (30 days, intraperitoneal injection of curcumin dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide). Diabetes was induced using an intraperitoneal injection of 240 mg/kg alloxan. At the end of treatments, serum levels of LH, FSH, estrogen, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and levels of SOD, CAT, GPX, HOdG-8 and MDA in testicle tissue were measured by ELISA. The statistical analysis was carried out using one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey tests (p<0.05).
Result: Compared to the non-treated diabetic group, administration of curcumin with doses of 100 and 150 mg/kg caused dose-dependent significant increased serum levels of LH, FSH, estrogen, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone, dose-dependent significant decreased HOdG-8 and MDA and also dose-dependent significant increased enzyme of SOD, CAT, and GPX in diabetic rats’ testicle (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Administration of curcumin increases pituitary-gonadal axis activity, decreases lipid peroxidation and DNA oxidative damage and also increases antioxidant enzyme activity of testicular tissue in diabetic rats.