P-105: Study of The Protective Effect of Equisetum Arvense Alcoholic Extract on In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Development in Diabetic Male Mice

Background: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that in long period can damage the testis and reduce the semen quality. Therefore, it can impair the male fertility potential. Recently, different herbal therapeutic treatment for protection of diabetes and its pathologic effects have been used. The aim of current study is to evaluate the protective effect of Equisetum arvense extract (EE) on in vitro fertilization and embryo development in diabetic male mice. Materials and Methods: Twenty four mature male mice were divided equally in control-sham, diabetic, diabetic + EE250 (250 mg/kg, orally, daily gavage) and diabetic + EE500 (500 mg/kg, orally, daily gavage) groups. In order to induce diabetes, the streptozotocin (STZ) with dose of 50 mg/kg was injected for five days. After 45 days of STZ administration, all animals were sacrificed. Cauda epididymis was removed surgically and placed in preequilibrated medium containing 1 ml HTF + BSA 4mg/ ml. Then, in order to swim out the spermatozoa, they were incubated for 30 minute in CO2 incubator. For each male mouse, oocytes of 3 superovulated mice were collected and fertilized by fresh sperms of each groups. The rate of fertilization, two cell embryos, arrested embryos and blastocysts rate examined in period of 120 hours. Results: The animals in diabetic+EE groups (especially those in diabetic + EE500) showed remarkably (p<0.05) higher fertilizing success rate. In diabetic + EE groups compared to diabetic group, significantly (p<0.05) higher percentage of fertilized oocytes developed toward blastocyst stage and remarkably lower percentage of embryos blocked in different stages of embryo development. Conclusion: Reproductive dysfunction is one of the important secondary effects of diabetes, which is associated with sexual impotence and by decreasing the semen quality reduces fertilizing success rate. The treated animals with EE showed higher fertilization rate and embryo development compared to diabetic group.