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D-ribose-L-cysteine improves hormonal imbalance, spermatogenic dysregulation, and redox status in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

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Abstract

D-ribose-L-cysteine is a pro-drug that is derived from L-cysteine which is reported to upsurge the cellular levels of glutathione. Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease that causes oxidative imbalance resulting in an impairment of the steroidogenic function and reproductive dysfunctions. This study is to investigate the potency of D-ribose-L-cysteine in reversing hyperglycemia and reproductive histopathological alterations in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in adult male Wistar rats with a single intraperitoneal injection of 70 mg/kg b.w. streptozotocin. The hyperglycemic rats were thereafter treated orally with D-ribose-L-cysteine (100 mg/kg b.w.) and metformin (30 mg/kg b.w.) respectively once daily for a period of 17 days. Blood glucose concentration, reproductive hormonal assays, seminal fluid analysis, testicular anti-oxidant enzymes, tissue protein, and histopathological investigations were done to determine the effects of D-ribose-L-cysteine in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Treatment with D-ribose-L-cysteine was associated with reduction in blood glucose concentration, increased body weight, increased tissue protein, reduced lipid peroxidation, and increase in anti-oxidant enzymes compared with the diabetic control. D-ribose-L-cysteine-treated rats also showed improved tubular cellularity and cytoarchitectural integrity relative to the diabetic control. In this study, D-ribose-L-cysteine, a synthetic pro-drug, proved to be able to reverse endocrine imbalance and spermatogenic alterations associated with diabetes by eliminating oxidative stress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Anatomy, School of Health and Health Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

    Victor Okoliko Ukwenya, Toluwase Solomon Olawuyi, Sunday Aderemi Adelakun & Oluwole Israel Ogunsola

  2. Department of Biochemistry, School of Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

    Moses Ugbede Ukwenya

Authors
  1. Victor Okoliko Ukwenya
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  2. Toluwase Solomon Olawuyi
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  3. Sunday Aderemi Adelakun
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  4. Oluwole Israel Ogunsola
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  5. Moses Ugbede Ukwenya
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Contributions

Victor Okoliko Ukwenya conceived and designed the experiment; handled the tissue processing, seminal fluid analysis, and statistical analysis; and developed the manuscript. Toluwase Solomon Olawuyi handled the drug administration and contributed to the seminal fluid analysis and tissue processing. Sunday Aderemi Adelakun reviewed the literature, took part in the tissue processing, and reviewed the manuscript. Oluwole Israel Ogunsola reviewed the literature, did the statistical analysis, and contributed to the manuscript development. Moses Ugbede Ukwenya ran the biochemical assays and contributed to the statistical analysis.

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Correspondence to Victor Okoliko Ukwenya.

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Ethical approval was obtained from the Departmental Committee on the Use and Care of Animals, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.

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Ukwenya, V.O., Olawuyi, T.S., Adelakun, S.A. et al. D-ribose-L-cysteine improves hormonal imbalance, spermatogenic dysregulation, and redox status in streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Comp Clin Pathol 29, 1107–1117 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-020-03155-3

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