PriMera Scientific Medicine and Public Health (ISSN: 2833-5627)

Case Study

Volume 8 Issue 1

Effects of Zingiber Officinale Rhizomes and Mondia Whitei Ethanolic Root Extracts on the Hypothalamus, Pituitary and Testicular Histology in Infertility-Induced Diabetic White Albino Male Rats

Barasa M Ambrose*, Nyongesa Albert, Odipo Walter and Onyango O Patrick

January 07, 2026

DOI : 10.56831/PSMPH-08-265

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Abstract

Treatment of diabetic mellitus (DM) and related complications is available although cost of conventional medicines is relatively high and accompanying side effects beg for alternative therapeutic and management methods. Previous studies demonstrated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities of Zingiber officinale and Mondia whitei although the scientific knowledge on their efficacy in ameliorating DM-induced infertility is obscure. This study investigated the histomorphometric and histoarchitectural impacts of ethanolic Z. officinale and M. whitei root extracts on the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary and testis (HPT) in diabetic male albino rats. Thirty-six rats were assigned nine groups of six treatment groups and three controls groups. All animals except normal control were administered with alloxan monohydrate to induce DM. Treatment groups were administered with Z. officinale or M. whitei at 200, 400, 800 mg/kg for 28 days, normal control (normal saline), diabetic control (alloxan monohydrate alone) and positive control (alloxan monohydrate and clomiphene citrate). Testicular weight/volume, seminiferous tubule diameter/epithelial height, Leydig cell volume for histomorphometry as well as hypothalamic, anterior pituitary and testicular histology were done. Neuronal degeneration and gliosis in the hypothalamus, decreased number of gonadotropes in the pituitary, disruption of seminiferous epithelium, and Leydig cell atrophy were observed in diabetic controls. Leydig cell volume (501±92.3 µm³), testicular weight (1.02±0.3 ml), and testicular volume (1.11±0.22 ml) all showed significant decrease (p<0.01) in comparison with the normal control group testicular weight (2.71 ± 1.2), testicular volume (2.98 ± 0.71) and Leydig cell volume LCV (1250 ± 212.4). At 800 mg/kg, Z. officinale improved testicular weight: 2.51±0.5 ml; Leydig cell volume: 1291±236.3 µm³, normalized hypothalamic and anterior pituitary histology. Similarly, M. whitei at 800 mg/kg improved testicular weight: 3.38±1.9 ml; Leydig cell volume: 1432±346.7 µm³; p<0.001 vs. diabetic controls with testicular weight 1.03±3ml; leydig cell volume 501±92.3µm³, improved pituitary vascularization, and hypothalamic histology. Mondia whitei at 800 mg/kg performed better than Z. officinale specifically regarding Leydig cell metrics, testicular weight, and volume. Conclusion: Both Z. officinale and M. whitei demonstrated pro-reproductive effects along the HPT axis. However, at 800 mg/kg, M. whitei exhibited greater restorative effects, on histoarchitecture and testicular histomorphometry.

Keywords: Zingiber officinale; Mondia whitei; Diabetic infertility; restorative; Testicular histomorphometry; Hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis

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