The aim of this study was to test whether diabetic rats exposed to alcohol demonstrate a higher degree of reproductive toxicity and suffer with elevated oxidative toxicity when compared with alcohol exposed control rats. Diabetes was induced by injecting single dose of streptozotocin and alcohol was administered through orogastric tube once daily for a period of 55 days. Daily sperm production, epididymal sperm count, motile, viable and HOS-tail coiled sperms, serum testosterone levels and testicular 3β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity levels were significantly decreased in diabetic rats. Significant reduction in testicular and epididymal superoxide dismutase and catalase activity levels, and elevation in lipid peroxidation products were observed in diabetic rats. Similar reproductive and oxidative toxicity was observed in alcohol treated control rats. Further, alcohol exposed diabetic rats showed additional deterioration in reproductive endpoints and noteworthy elevation in oxidative toxicity suggesting that treatment with alcohol further deteriorates sexual dysfunction in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
Keywords: Alcohol; Diabetes; Oxidative stress; Steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis; Streptozotocin; Testosterone.
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