Erectile dysfunction attenuation by naringenin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus is associated with sexual dysfunction, which leads to infertility in animal models. The aim of this study was to evaluate sexual behavior in diabetic rats administered with naringenin. Rats were classified into five groups including healthy controls, those with STZ-induced diabetes, and those with STZ-induced diabetes then treated with 25, 50, or 100 mg kg−1 day−1 of naringenin. Male rats were introduced to sexually receptive females, and data were collected regarding sexual behavior and erectile activity. Blood samples were taken and histopathological analyses were carried out. ANOVA and the Student–Newman–Keuls t test were used for statistical comparisons. Sexual behavioral, mount latency, intromission latency, ejaculation latency, and postejaculatory interval were significantly increased in diabetic rates compared with controls (p < 0.001). The NG-treated rats showed a significant improvement in testosterone and cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels, and testicular oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers were corrected in a dose-dependent manner compared with controls. The treatment protocol used in this study led to the elimination of sexual impairment resulting from DM, and naringenin showed significant antiinflammatory and antioxidant effects in testicular cells.

Practical applications
Erectile dysfunction occurs in more than 50% of men who are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of ED is 25% in patients younger than 50 years and 75% in those older than 50 years. Chronic DM leads to oxidative stress, which has significant effects on sexual behavior, spermatogenesis, and sperm biology. Phenolic compounds have been reported to reduce streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress in experimental animal models. In addition, they have significant effects on the generation of sperm (spermatogenesis), which is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic DM. Our study was designed to examine the effect of naringenin, a flavone flavonoid, on oxidative stress, the inflammatory process, sexual behavior, erectile activity through spermatogenesis, and cavernous cyclic guanosine monophosphate in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.