ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

Context. The environmental occurrence of metformin has been frequently world-widely reported. Despite the diabetes susceptibility in the Chinese population, the studies on occurrence of metformin as environment disruptor in China are insufficient. Objective. To determine the occurrence trends and possible environmental pollution sources of metformin as an emerging micropollutant. Methods. High-performance liquid chromatographyelectrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry system was used to detect the metformin levels in water samples collected from the Xi’an city Moat, China once a year from 2017 to 2021. Correlations among the metformin levels in moat water, in surrounding hospital wastewater, and hospital metformin consumption data were assessed using Pearson, Spearman and Kendall’s tau-b correlation coefficients. Results. Occurrence of metformin was found in Xi’an city Moat water with levels in the range of 304- 793 ng/L. Significant correlations were found between the metformin levels in city moat water and the total (or outpatient) metformin utilization data of the hospital. Conclusion. Data suggested the potential environmental issues posed by metformin in Xi’an city in China. The metformin consumption volume in the surrounding hospitals, especially at the outpatient services, could be used to predict the metformin concentrations in the moat water.

Objective. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure during developmental period on parameters of oxidative stress and histopathology of testis and testosterone level in adult rat F1 generation. Methods and study design. In treatment group pregnant rats were exposed to 3mT EMF, 50Hz for 21 days. The sham group contained pregnant rats under same condition, but out off the EM field. Pregnant rats in room were used as control group. After delivery, the blood samples of mothers for biochemical analyses of total antioxydant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehide (MDA) were provided. The male pups were kept until maturity, then their TAC, MDA and testosterone levels were analyzed, also their tests were removed for investigation of histopathology changes with light microscopy. Results. Biochemical analysis showed that TAC and MDA was significantly increased in pregnant rats in the treatment group when compared with the control group (p<0.05). In adult male of F1 generation MDA was significantly increased in treatment group, but TAC and the testosterone level was significantly decreased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (p<0.05). Microscopic results revealed that in experimental group seminiferous epithelium contained many small irregular empty spaces as the sign of cellular sloughing, spermatogenic cells appeared to be disrupted. The nuclei of spermatogonia cells were heterochromatic, also dense of germinal epithelium and the number of spermatozoa was decreased. Conclusion. The results of this study suggest that pregnant rats exposure in EMF led to oxidative stress in adult male of F1 generation and showed adverse effect on testosterone and spermatogenesis in adulthood which may produce subfertility.

Introduction. One of the diabetes complications in men is infertility. C-peptide and Nicotinamide have antidiabetic and antioxidant activity. So, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of these drugs on male infertility caused by diabetes. Methods. In this experimental study 40 adult male NMRI mice (20- 25g) were obtained and randomly divided into 5groups: controls, diabetes model, diabetes+C-peptide, diabetes+Nicotinamide, diabetes+C-peptide+Nicotinamide. Diabetes induced was confirmed 3 days after administration of a single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) (65mg/kg) 15 min after an intraperitoneal injection of Nicotinamide (120mg/kg). Then C-peptide (25nmol/kg) and Nicotinamide (100mg/kg) were injected for 28 days. 24h after the last drugs injection serum samples, testes and cauda epididymis of animals were removed for hormonal, testis morphology and sperm count assessment. Results. Diabetes induced could decrease serum testosterone level and sperm count significantly (p<0.001, p<0.05 respectively). Serum LH, testosterone levels and sperm count increased in Diabetes+Cpeptide+ Nicotinamide versus diabetes group (p<0.05, p<0.001, p<0.01 respectively). Also administration of Nicotinamide alone showed an increase in serum testosterone (p<0.001). Conclusion. The results of this study demonstrated that combined administration of Nicotinamide and C-peptide improved diabetes induced male reproductive disorders by enhanced serum LH, testosterone levels and sperm count in diabetic mice.