Preventive and therapeutic role of garlic on the epididymis and seminal vesicle of male diabetic rats

Introduction: Diabetes has adverse effects on reproductive functions in human. Clinical as well as experimental studies revealed impairment of spermatogenesis, reduced volume of seminal fluid and atrophic changes in epididymis. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the preventive and therapeutic effect of garlic juice on epididymal and vesicle seminal damage in male rats with streptozotocin induced diabetes. Methods: In this experimental study, forty male wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: 1- Normal group (N) 2- Normal group +garlic (N+G). 3- Diabetic (D) received STZ, 60mg/kg BW/ip. 4- Diabetic group +garlic before (D+Gb) received garlic juice for 3 weeks before STZ injection. 5- Diabetic group +garlic after (D+Ga) three days after STZ injection, they received garlic juice for 3 weeks. Garlic juice was given by gavage (1ml/100g BW). Epididymal and seminal vesicle damage was examined by using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Data were analyzed by means of SPSS, using analysis of variance test. Results: Diabetic rats showed a significantly reduction in the size of the tubule and lumen of caput, corpus and caudal epididymides and regression of seminal vesicle epithelium. Garlic significantly attenuated the diabetes-induced morphological changes in the diabetic rat epididymis and seminal vesicle. The diabetic group receiving garlic before STZ injection showed more amelioration in complications than that receiving it after STZ injection. Conclusion: We showed that administration of garlic juice could play both preventive and therapeutic role on testicular damage in male diabetic rats.