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Diabetes-Induced Testicular Injury: Potential Protective Roles of Curcumin, Garcinia kola, and Momordica charantia in
Ayşenur Kaya Mutlu1,2, Süleyman Kaplan2,3
1Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Karaman, Türkiye.
Background:
Diabetes mellitus (DM) induces multifaceted cellular and structural alterations in the male reproductive system, thereby predisposing to infertility.
Objectives:
This study aimed to evaluate the morphological, stereological, biochemical, histopathological, and ultrastructural changes induced by DM in testicular tissue, and to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of curcumin (Cur), Garcinia kola (GK), and Momordica charantia (MC) in the diabetic testis.
Materials And Methods:
Sixty 12-week-old male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into six groups: Control, Sham, DM, DM+Cur, DM+GK, and DM+MC. No intervention was applied to the Control group, whereas olive oil was administered by oral gavage to the Sham group. Experimental DM was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). In the antioxidant-treated groups, rats received Cur (100 mg/kg), GK (100 mg/kg), or MC (100 mg/kg) by oral gavage for four weeks. Stereological analyses were performed using the Cavalieri principle to calculate volume fractions of Sertoli and germ cells. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed for caspase-3, claudin-11, and occludin.
Results:
DM was associated with increased oxidative stress, reduced germ cell volume fractions, decreased claudin-11 and occludin expression, and lowered serum testosterone levels. None of the antioxidants significantly lowered fasting blood glucose levels compared to the untreated diabetic group. Cur partially attenuated oxidative stress and improved germ cell volumes. GK modulates apoptotic activity, alters the expression and localization of tight junction proteins, and provides marked morphological protection. Although MC increased tight junction protein expression, its protective effects were limited by persistent disruption of tight junction localization and elevated apoptosis.
Conclusions:
Cur, GK, and MC exert varying degrees of partial protection against DM-induced testicular damage. Their effects might be potentially mediated by antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms, highlighting their potential to preserve testicular structure under diabetic conditions; however, further validation is required to determine optimal dosing and the full therapeutic mechanisms.
