TY - JOUR T1 - Protective effect of aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L. fruit on histopathology of testis in alloxan-induced diabetic rats TT - اثر حفاظتی عصاره آبی میوه سماق (Rhus coriaria L.) بر هیستوپاتولوژی بیضه در موش‌های دیابتی شده با آلوکسان JF - RJMS JO - RJMS VL - 27 IS - 4 UR - http://rjms.iums.ac.ir/article-1-3343-en.html Y1 - 2020 SP - 96 EP - 105 KW - Rhus coriaria L KW - Diabetes mellitus KW - Testis KW - Histopathology N2 - Background: Diabetes mellitus as a metabolic disorder leads to chronic hyperglycaemia with disturbances metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins (1, 2). The chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of various organs in the body, especially the eyes, liver, kidneys, nervous system, heart, testis and blood vessels (3). During of diabetes mellitus, alternation in metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins increases lipid peroxides and /or oxidative stress that leads to increase production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). On the other word, complication in diabetes mellitus are associated with free radicals and oxidative stress. Oxygen derived free radicals and ROS interact with lipid bilayer of cell membrane and resulting in lipid peroxidation (4). Furthermore, ROS can trigger functional damage through the modification of macromolecules of the cell including fatty acid, DNA, protein, etc (4). The testis tissue is especially sensitive to ROS, because it has plentiful lipid content. Stress oxidative due to ROS accumulation can involve in reproductive dysfunction. Some reports indicated that diabetes leads to reproductive dysfunction including decreasing of in density, fertility and motility of sperm (10, 11). Antioxidant defense mechanisms including antioxidant enzyme-systems are important for the protection of the cells and tissues against oxidative damage. Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.), belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, is a small tree or shrub. Many studies reported the antioxidant effect of sumac and its derivatives, such as the extract. Some evidences reported that the fruits of Rhus coriaria L. contain flavonols, phenolic acid, hydrolysable tannin, anthocyans and organic acid (19, 20). According to the importance of medicine plant and the antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of Rhus coriaria L, we investigated the effect of aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L. on testis damage induced by alloxan in diabetic rats. Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats weighing 180-230 g, were used in this study. They were housed under standard laboratory conditions of light, temperature and humidity. All animals were treated in accordance to the Principles of Laboratory Animal Care. The experimental protocol was approved by the Animal Ethical Committee in accordance with the guide for the care and use of laboratory animals prepared by Urmia University. All Rats were fed a standard diet and water. The rats randomly divided into 5. Control rats were injected with physiological serum the same volume of injection material. Group II rats (Diabetic), were diabetic by injecting 120 mg/kgbw dose in intraperitoneal alloxan monohydrate (5). The rats of third (D+S1), fourth (D+S2), and fifth group (D+S3), in addition to the same treatment, were fed 50, 100 and 250 mg/kgbw of aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L, respectively for 4 weeks. In the 28th day, (at the end of the treatment period), the rats were killed with diethyl ether. The testis tissues of each animal were removed. The histological changes in the rat testis of experimental groups were assessed by light microscopy. Oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey statistical test were used to compare these parameters in the study group. The results were expressed as mean±S.E.M (standard error of means). P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The results obtained from the present study revealed that the body weight was significantly decreased in diabetic group in comparison with control group (P<0.05). Diabetic rats that treated with extract of sumac showed a significant increase in body weight compared to diabetic rat (p<0.05). Furthermore, testis weight decreased in diabetic group and increased in diabetic rats treated with extract, which was not significant. H&E stained section of the testis of control group is showed in Photomicrograph 1. Normal histological structure of seminiferous tubules and complete series of spermatogenesis were revealed. Also, normal width of the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules and integrated interstitial Leydig cells were observed. The histological changes in the diabetic rat testis was demonstrated in Photomicrograph 2. Testicular section of alloxan treated groups showed remarkable degenerative changes. Testicular section of diabetic rats that received aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L. (250 mg/kgbw) is represented by photomicrographs 3. The aqueous extract-treated group, compared to the diabetic one, showed a significant recovery in the tissue parameter. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that induced diabetes by alloxan caused histological abnormality in the testis tissue. Treatment with aqueous extract of Rhus coriaria L. lead to improvement in side effect of diabetes mellitus on testis tissue in male rats. Alloxan-induced diabetes in animal’s mimics and the mechanism involving in this disease is by production of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, diabetes induced changes in testicular tissue by several mechanisms such as neuronal cell death and apoptosis (22, 23). Additionally, many studies have showed that complication in diabetes mellitus are associated with oxidative stress due to increase production of ROS (29). Oxidative stress is occurs when the presence of ROS is excess of the available antioxidant buffering capacity. These ROS can damage proteins, lipids and DNA and finally leads to alternation structure and function of organism. Oxidation of lipids in plasma lipoprotein and cellular membranes is associated with the development of vascular disease in diabetes. Some evidences declare that testis tissue can be a main target of ROS, because it has plentiful lipid content (30, 31). Flavonoids are products of plant metabolism that have free radical scavenging properties and can be used as an effective antioxidants. This utility capable herbal plants to protect tissues against free oxygen radicals and lipid peroxidation. Previous studies have suggested that extract of Rhus coriaria L. fruits may be a source of natural antioxidants. The fractionated extract was an uncompetitive inhibitor of xanthine oxidase and scavenger of superoxide radical (35-37). Overall the results of this study show that the sumac could be effective in decreasing diabetic complication and it can used an antioxidant and food supplement in diabetic patients. M3 ER -