Phytotherapy in reducing glycemic index and testicular oxidative stress resulting from induced diabetes: a review

Oxidative stress plays a main role in the development of diabetes complications. The impairment of gonadal antioxidant potential and endocrine disturbance in diabetic males causes testicular damage and failure in sperm production. Plants have been widely used to control diabetes due their hypoglycemic and antioxidant potential, contributing towards the recovery of testicular function. Current study comprises a review of the literature on the main medicinal plants used in the recovery of testicular oxidative damage in animals with experimental diabetes. Eighteen plant species in the nineteen studies selected from the search strategy were evaluated. Plant extracts were evaluated according to their effects on blood glucose and insulin levels, antioxidant enzymes and oxidant levels, lipid peroxidation, total protein, testosterone levels, gonadosomatic index, diameter of seminiferous tubules, seminiferous epithelium height and integrity, number of germ cells at stage VII and apoptosis in the seminiferous epithelium, sperm production, motility, viability and morphology. After the analysis of the studies, it was observed that plant species, used alone or in combination, may control testicular oxidative damage triggered by diabetes. The antioxidant potential varies among species, with some plants proving to have a better performance in the recovery of reproduction parameters than others.