Protective effect of magnesium and metformin on endometrium and ovary in experimental diabetes mellitus

We evaluated the effect of magnesium and metformin on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus (DM) in non-pregnant female rats. The study comprised four groups, each consisting of eight, non-pregnant, adult Wistar female rats with a weight range of 170-250 g, maintained under the usual laboratory conditions. One group of female rats was the control group that received no treatment. To induce DM, the other three groups of animals received streptozotocin (STZ), 60 mg/kg i.p. (in a single dose). The first STZ group received no additional treatment. The second group received MgCl2 1 mmol/kg/day i.p. daily, for eight weeks. The third group received daily metformin, 100 mg/kg/day per os (endogastric probe), for eight weeks. Blood glucose, total plasma magnesium concentrations, and oxidative status were determined prior to, 24 hours and eight weeks after administration of the STZ. After eight weeks of treatment, the animals were anesthetized and sacrificed. The uterus and ovaries were removed and examined under optical microscopy. The data obtained were analyzed statistically using the ANOVA test. The results showed that the number of atretic ovarian follicles was 84%higher in the STZ-induced diabetes group compared to the control group (p<0.01). The number of atretic follicles found in the group receiving daily MgCl2 was 32% higher compared to the untreated control group (p<0.05). The number of atretic follicles was increased by only 27% in the metformin-treated group, as compared with the untreated control group.. The STZ-induced diabetes group presented an endometrial epithelial atrophy not seen in the control group. MgCl2 administration attenuated the degree of endometrial atrophy, there being an endometrial epithelial thickness of 19.43 ± 0.51 μm in the STZ+MgCl2 group (p<0.05), as compared to a thickness of 13.51 ± 0.27 μm in the STZ only-treated diabetic group.