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Cadmium Testicular Toxicity in Male Wistar Rats: Protective Roles of Zinc and Magnesium

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Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic element, which may cause toxicity to most organs in the body. Zinc (Zn) and magnesium (Mg) are essential minerals with probable benefits on Cd harmful effects. Finding an efficient and non-pathological treatment against Cd toxicity seems promising. Fifty adult rats were divided into ten experimental groups of five rats each. The Cd group was treated with 1 mg Cd/kg and the control group received 0.5 cm3 normal saline. The other eight groups received Zn (0.5 and 1.5 mg/kg) and Mg (0.5 and 1.5 mg/kg) either alone or in combination with 1 mg Cd/kg through IP injection for 3 weeks. Testis malondialdehyde (MDA), sperm parameters, and testis histopathology were investigated. Cd reduced sperm parameters and increased testis MDA. Moreover, Cd exposure caused a significant histological damage in testis of male rats. However, Zn or Mg treatment prevented and reversed Cd toxic alterations in testis. These findings suggest that co-administration of Zn or Mg could improve cadmium testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Falavarjan Branch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box 81465-1148, Isfahan, Iran

    Nasim Babaknejad, Somaye Bahrami, Ali Asghar Moshtaghie & Hashem Nayeri

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran

    Nasim Babaknejad

  3. Department of Pathology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Parvin Rajabi

  4. Department of Anatomy Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Scienses, Isfahan, Iran

    Farhad Golshan Iranpour

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  1. Nasim Babaknejad
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  2. Somaye Bahrami
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  3. Ali Asghar Moshtaghie
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  4. Hashem Nayeri
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Correspondence to Hashem Nayeri.

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The study was approved by Isfahan University of Medical Science Experimental Animals Local Ethics Committee

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Babaknejad, N., Bahrami, S., Moshtaghie, A.A. et al. Cadmium Testicular Toxicity in Male Wistar Rats: Protective Roles of Zinc and Magnesium. Biol Trace Elem Res 185, 106–115 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-1218-5

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