Spermiological injuries of humans and rats in diabetes linked oxidative stress: A curative approach by ex vivo study using aqueous-ethanol extract of Aloe vera (L.)

Objective: Among the co-morbidities associated with diabetes, male infertility is rising exponentially. This study highlights the curative effects of the aqueous-ethanol extract of Aloe vera (L.) (AEAV) on spermiological injuries in both humans and rats with diabetes, utilizing more sensitive methods for assessing DNA fragmentation and apoptosis for enhanced validation. 

Methods: Streptozotocin was used to induce diabetes in Wistar rats. Sperm were collected from the epididymal lumen of both control and diabetic rats. Semen specimens were obtained from normoglycemic and diabetic individuals by masturbation after 4 days of sexual abstinence. Sperm samples were incubated separately in the presence of 10, 20, and 40 mg of AEAV per 10 mL of ex vivo media for 1 or 2 hours, in a dose- and duration-specific manner, to evaluate its effect on the spermiological parameters. Toxicity was assessed in the metabolic organs and the prostate of the rats. 

Results: Sperm motility, viability, genomic integrity, apoptosis, and DNA fragmentation, assessed by Comet and Annexin-V assays, were significantly impacted in diabetic samples from rats and humans compared to controls, suggesting a potential link to infertility. The extract effectively corrected all the sperm oxidative stress injuries, with the most notable recovery observed at a dose of 20 mg/10 mL. Reduced activities of antioxidant enzymes and elevated levels of lipid oxidation-peroxidation in sperm, testis, and metabolic organs indicate oxidative stress caused by diabetes, which were improved with the extract in a dose- and duration-specific manner. Chromatogram analysis, backed by literature and research, primarily revealed the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds in the extract. 

Conclusions: The AEAV shows promising curative potential for diabetes-associated spermiological injuries.