Effect of Aqueous Extract of Launaea acanthodes on DNA Oxidative Damage and Antioxidant Enzymes Activities in Diabetic Rats Testes Tissue

Aims: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the initiation and progression of diabetes. Noticing the antioxidant and antidiabetes effects of Launaea acanthodes, the aim of the study was to determine the effects of the aqueous extract of the herb on DNA oxidative damage and the activities of antioxidant enzyms in the testicular tissue of diabetic rats.
In the experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats were studied. The rats were randomly divided into four 8-rat groups including healthy control, diabetic control, and experimental diabetic groups treated by aqueous extract of Launaea acanthodes. Diabetes was induced in diabetic control and diabetic experimental groups via one alloxan intraperitoneal injection. 100 and 200mg/Kg aqueous extract of Launaea acanthodes were injected as intraperitoneal in diabetic experimental groups at alternate days for one month, while the control groups received only strile distilled water via injection. At the end of the study, the activities of antioxidant enzyms and the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and malondialdehyde were assessed in the testicular tissue. Data was analyzed by SPSS 20 software using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc tests.
Findings: The tissue activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase enzymes significantly increased in the experimental groups treated by 100 and 200mg/Kg aqueous extract of Launaea acanthodes as dose-dependent compared to diabetic control group, while the levels of 8hydroxideoxiguanosine and malondialdehyde significantly decreased (p Dose-dependent administration of aqueous extract of Launaea acanthodes increases the antioxidant capacity, while reducing lipidic peroxidation and DNA oxidative damage in the testicular tissue of rats.