Protective Effects of Okra Powder (Abelmoschus esculentus) on Histomorphometricl Changes of Testis and Sperm Parameters in High-Fat Diet/Streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) Diabetic Rat

Diabetes tends to disorders in male reproductive system. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) has antidiabetic and anitoxidant effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of okra powder on testis structure and sperm parameters in diabetic rats.
25 rats were divided randomly into five groups including control, diabetic, diabetic/okra (200 mg/kg), diabetic/metformin (200 mg/kg), and okra (200 mg/kg). Diabetes was induced by high-fat diet fed (HFD), and injection of streptozotocin (STZ) (35 mg/kg) for four weeks. Groups were treated for 4 weeks. After treatment, blood glucose levels, testosterone levels, sperm parameters, and histomorphological structure of testes were studied.
Findings: Induction of diabetes decreased testosterone levels, and sperm movement, numbers, and survival. Number of spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte, sertoli, and leydig cells, diameter of seminiferous tubules, and spermiogenesis index decreased significantly in diabetic group as compared to control group (P The results suggest that okra powder supplemented diet in HFD/STZ diabetic rats improves testosterone level and sperm parameters as well as ameliorates diabetes-induced structural disorders in rat male reproductive system.