Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been known to be a major health challenge that have harmful effects on the quality of life globally as a result of its numerous complications. One of the most prevalent secondary complication of the disease is male reproductive system dysfunction. Oral hypoglycaemic drugs are used for managing diabetes but their use has been reported to possess side effects on male reproductive organ leading to significant alteration of spermatogenesis. Lawsonia inermis Linn are used in the treatment of both infectious and non-infectious diseases like poliomyelitis, measles, menorrhagia, vaginal discharge and leucorrhoea.
Lawsonia inermis leaves were sectioned using N-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. Fractions obtained were assessed for their modulatory effect. Thirteen groups of diabetic rats (n=5) were orally administered 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg of each of the three partitioned fraction, metformin (500 mg/kg), glibenclamide (5 mg/kg), while untreated hyperglycaemic and normoglycaemic rats received distilled water for 28 days.
Sperm parameters showed significant (p<0.05) decreased motility in most treatment group compared to normoglycaemic control but significant improvement was observed in sperm parameters when compared to untreated diabetic control. The sperm volume and live/dead ratio of diabetic treated rats showed little or no significant alteration in all the administered dosage compared to both diabetic and non-diabetic controls. Methanol fraction at 100mg/kg presented non-significant (p>0.05) decreased total abnormal sperm cell compared to normoglycemic control. Diabetic and non-diabetic control had a greater number of spermatozoa with tailless head abnormality compared to Lawsonia inermis treatment groups.
Histopathology result of diabetic untreated testes showed histological abnormality represented by degenerated seminiferous tubules when compared to normoglycemic control cases. Treatment groups with fractions of Lawsonia inermis presents normal histological appearance.
We concluded that this study showed that Lawsonia inermis has significant modulatory or ameliorative effect on various sperm abnormalities and testicular degeneration seen in diabetic ones.

Key words: Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Lawsonia inermis, Andrological parameters, Histopathology