Planta Med 2013; 79 - PN10
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1352354

Effect of Urtica dioica hydro-alcoholic extract on serum testosterone level of STZ – diabetic mice

S Basirjafari 1, S Aghayari Sheikh Neshin 1
  • 1Member of Medicinal Plants Research Centre of student basij of Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran

Diabetes has been associated with reproductive impairment in both men and women. Urtica dioica has been used extensively in Iranian traditional medicine in the treatment of diabetes. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of hydro-alcoholic leaf extracts of Urtica dioica on serum testosterone level in diabetic mouse model. This study was carried out on 40 Swiss-albino mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: a control group (n = 10) received an equal volume of distillated water once daily by means of intraperitoneal injection, an urtica dioica group (n = 10) that received single daily injection of Urtica dioica extract at 100 mg/kg, and a diabetic group which received only Streptozotocin (STZ) (n = 20). The third group was divided into two identical ones including STZ group and treatment group in which were used to induct diabetes using STZ (50 mg/kg BW; Sigma USA) within 5 days. Blood glucose levels were checked randomly out in blood collected from the tail vein a week after the last injection. Moreover, the blood glucose levels of > 250 mg/dl was considered as diabetic mice. Then, in the treatment group received urtica dioica extract (100 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks while the control group just received an equal volume of physiological serum (IP) daily. After 4 weeks, 1cc blood sample was collected from abdominal aorta and the serum testosterone levels were measured. The mean serum total testosterone in the groups was not statistically significantly different (p > 0.05).[1,2]

References:

[1] Atalay B, llhan F, Gulyuz F, Karaca M, Cihat A. Assessment of the Histopathological Changes Occurring in the Testis of the Mice Suffering from Experimental Diabetes Induced Using Alloxan.. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances. 2009,8(10): 1929 – 1935.

[2] Khaki A, Nouri M, Fathiazad F, Ahmadi-Ashtiani HR, Rastgar H, Rezazadeh Sh. Protective Effects of Quercetin on Spermatogenesis in Streptozotocininduced Diabetic Rat. Journal of Medicinal Plants.2009, Volume 8: 57 – 64.