Abstract
To examine the effects of Garcinia hydroxybiflavanonol-1 (GB1) isolated from seeds of Garcinia kola Heckel (Guttiferae) on reproductive toxicity induced with cadmium chloride (CdCl2) in male Wistar rats. Rats were randomly assigned to Groups 1 to 3 (n = 12) as follows; A: control, B: CdCl2 only group, C: CdCl2+GB1. Cadmium toxicity was induced by including 2.5 mg/kg of CdCl2 into the rats’ drinking water and GB1 was dissolved in 0.5 % Tween20 and administered per os daily for 90 days. Four (4) animals from each group was humanely euthanized every 30 days. The testes were exteriorized and sperm cells collected from the caudal epididymis for analysis and histology.The result showed accumulation of Cadmium (Cd) in the testes of Wistar rats and a significant decrease (p< 0.05) in sperm count and sperm motility in Group B compared to Groups A and C. There was also a significant increase (p< 0.05) in immotile sperm count, headless sperm count and sluggish sperm count in Group B. Histology results revealed that CdCl2 significantly reduced the volume of spermatozoa in the seminiferous tubules and resulted in reduced spermatogenesis observed, in reduced number of sperm counts and histology. Amelioration with GB1 restored the testicles to normal spermatogenic activities after 90 days of treatment.
Highlights
Bioaccumulation of cadmium; a ubiquitous non-degradable environmental pollutant that enters the food chain is an issue of severe global concern
Results of this study showed a significant (p
These results are in line with earlier studies which showed a degenerative reaction of testicular and epididymal tissues to cadmium thereby contributing to male infertility by reducing sperm quality in humans and rats (Mendiola et al, 2011; Roychoudhury et al, 2010)
Summary
Bioaccumulation of cadmium; a ubiquitous non-degradable environmental pollutant that enters the food chain is an issue of severe global concern. Its environmental accumulation is due to its increased industrial usage in mining, electroplating, dyeing, paints, just to mention a few, as well as its occurrence in agricultural fertilizers (Renugadevi and Prabu, 2009; Newairy et al, 2007). In general cadmium pollution results from natural weathering of materials, forest fires and volcanoes, but much larger amounts are released by human activities (Morrow, 2001). Cadmium chloride used in photography, photocopying, dyeing, calico printing, vacuum tube manufacture pigment production, galvanoplasty, lubricants, ice-nucleation agents, drinking pipes and manufacture of special mirrors (Herron,2003) may enter the environment. Long-term ingestion of large amounts of cadmium has been observed in Japan (Massanyi et al, 2005). Cadmium has been reported to contribute to male infertility via reducing sperm quality in humans and rats (Mendiola et al, 2011; Roychoudhury et al, 2010)
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