Diabetic group showed significant reduction in body weight gain, remarkable
change in sperm characteristics as evidenced by significant decline in sperm count, motility and viability
accompanied by significant elevation of sperm abnormalities. Moreover, significant decrease in serum
testosterone level and significant increase in serum glucose level have been recorded to diabetic group to that
in control group. Diabetes also induced enhancement in oxidative stress in rats as indicated by significant
elevation in thiobarbituric acid reactive substance formation (TBARS) level and the reduction in superoxide
dismutase (SOD) activity in testicular tissues. Additionally, significant hyperlipidemia has been demonstrated
in diabetic rats with respect to in control. Counterparts on the other side, supplementation of DP in the diet of
diabetic rats induced significant increase in body weights, remarkable improvement in sperm characteristics
and glycemic state, increase in serum testosterone level, decrease in TBARS and increase in SOD activity
in testicular tissue and improvement in lipid profile, which they almost resettled near the control level.
The alleviated effect of DP was concentration dependent. Examination of testis tissues in diabetic group
revealed testicular degeneration with absence of spermatogonial cells, as well as necrosis of germ cells and
interstitial oedema. Feeding DP overcomes the remarkable changes in the structural organization of testicular
tissues; especially the high concentration (15 %) showed hyperactivation of germ cells with impaction of
seminiferous lumen with sperm. Therefore, this study demonstrates that DP possesses hypoglycemic,
antioxidant and hypolipidemic activities as well as it has promising effect against diabetic induced reproductive
disorders