Amelioration of icariin for the epididymis impairment induced by streptozocin (STZ) in rats

Objective: To investigate the effects of icariin on the streptozocin(STZ)-induced epididymis impair in rats.Methods: The epididymis impair was induced by injection of streptozocin at dosage of 60 mg/kg ip in SD rats.Animals were randomly divided into six groups(n=14): normal control,model group,three icariin treated group with different dosages(P.O,20 mg/kg,40 mg/kg,80 mg/kg especially) and rosiglitazon group(P.O,3 mg/kg),12 weeks later,animals were sacrificed.The level of serum glucose,the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),acid phosphatase(ACP),γ-glutamyltranspeptidase(γ-GT),α-glucosidase activity as well as sialic acid(SA),fructose level in the epididymis were determined.The pathological examination was performed under microscope after the epididymis was fixed by 4%polyformalin and stained by HE.Results: Compared with the normal control,the activity of LDH,ACP,γ-GT and α-glucosidase in the epididymis revealed a decline,with lower level of SA and fructose.Histological examination showed that mature spermatocytes in the epididymis markedly decreased.These alterations were ameliorated in the groups with the treatment of icariin at 40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg,but not at 20mg/kg.Conclusion: Icariin ameliorated the signs of epididymis in diabetic rats induced by streptozocin,this effect might carry out by promoting the elevation of sepicial enzyme and energy metabolism in the epididymis.