Protective effects of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide on male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments by activating hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis in streptozotocin-induced type-1 diabetic male mice

Endocrine journal

Yu-Xiang Li¹  Jian-Qiang Yu²  Guang-Jiang Shi²  Hai-Qi Qiao²  Jie Zheng²  Qing Chang³  Yang Niu⁴  Jing Wu⁵  Tao Sun⁶ 

[1] College of Nursing, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China;Department of Pharmacology, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China;Key Laboratory of Fertility Preservation and Maintenance of Ministry Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China;Key Laboratory of Hui Ethnic Medicine Modernization, Ministry of Education, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China;Laboratory Animal Center, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China;Ningxia Key Laboratory of Craniocerebral Diseases of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China

关键词: Lycium barbarum polysaccharide;    Sexual dysfunction;    Fertility impairments;    Diabetic mice;    Hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis;   

DOI  :  10.1507/endocrj.EJ16-0430

学科分类：内分泌与代谢学

来源: Japan Endocrine Society

【 摘 要 】

Diabetes-associated male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments are both common clinical complications with limited therapeutic options; hence it seriously affects the quality of life of the patients, in particular, the patients of reproductive age. Lycium barbarumpolysaccharide (LBP) has long being believed to maintain and to promote reproductive functions in the traditional medical practice in China.The current study was to investigate if LBP may contribute to recovery of male sexual dysfunction and fertility impairments in diabetic individuals.The effects of LBP on sexual behaviors and histological changes of testis were studied in the type-1 diabetes male mice induced by intra-peritoneal (i.p.) injection of streptozotocin (STZ).After oral administration of LBP (10, 20 or 40 mg/kg), sildenafil citrate (SC, 5 mg/kg) or saline for 62 consecutive days, the typical abnormal changes in the sperm parameters, in relative weight of reproductive organs and in morphology of testis were observed in diabetic mice.LBP treatment of the diabetic mice considerably reversed those changes and Johnsen’s testicular score, serum testosterone (T), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) level were also increased to different degrees.Moreover, our data have also shown that a marked improvement in sexual behavior and fertility level after administration of LBP (40 mg/kg) compared to the diabetic group.These results suggested that LBP can exert functional recovery of male sexual dysfunction and fertility damages induced by diabetes in male mice, which is likely to be mediated through regulating the hypothalamus- pituitary-gonadal axis endocrine activity.

【 授权许可】

Unknown