Eugenol Protection of Testicular Function in Diabetic Rats by Attenuating Oxidative Stress and Restoring CatSper Gene Expression

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) frequently leads to male infertility, with oxidative stress being a primary culprit in damaging testicular function. This damage may extend to key spermatogenic genes, including the sperm-specific cation channels CatSper1 and CatSper2, which are essential for male fertility. Materials and Methods: This study investigated the therapeutic potential of eugenol against testicular dysfunction in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rat model, focusing on glycemic control, oxidative stress, histopathology, and the expression of CatSper1 and CatSper2 genes. In this experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats were divided into control, diabetic, diabetic+eugenol (4 mg/kg/d, IP), and eugenol-only groups. Diabetes was induced with a single STZ injection (55 mg/kg). After 8 weeks of treatment, fasting blood glucose, serum oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde [MDA], superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GPx]), testicular histology, and CatSper1/2 mRNA expression were analyzed.