Protective role of curcumin in deltamethrin induced system toxicity in Wistar rats

Abstract

The current study was performed to assess the adverse effect of deltamethrin on testes, liver and kidney in male rats and to evaluate the protective role of curcumin in alleviating the detrimental effect of deltamethrin on these organs. Twenty four male Wistar rats (150 – 200 g) were divided in four groups (6 rats each): group I was taken as control, group II received deltamethrin (6 mg/kg), group III deltamethrin (6 mg/kg) along with curcumin (100 mg/kg) and group IV curcumin (100 mg/kg). Deltamethrin and curcumin were administered orally by gavaging for 28 days. Deltamethrin caused a significant reduction in reproductive organ weights, sperm count, sperm motility, serum testosterone (T), follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) and luteinizing hormones (LH). Glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were decreased in testis, liver and kidney of exposed rats. Deltamethrin exposure significantly increased liver and kidney weight, sperm abnormalities and lipid peroxidation (LPO) level. Deltamethrin also caused histological alterations in testes, liver and kidney in rats. In group III, treatment with curcumin improved reproductive organs weights, sperm characteristics and hormones levels. Deltamethrin induced oxidative damage and histopathological alterations in testes, liver and kidney were also recovered. Results indicate that deltamethrin exerts significant harmful effects on testes, liver and kidney. Concurrent administration of curcumin partly reduced the detrimental effects of deltamethrin on these organs. Curcumin treatment group showed increase in sperm characteristics, reproductive hormones levels, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and decrease in lipid peroxidation level and preserved the normal histological architecture of the testes, liver and kidney. Keywords: Deltamethrin, curcumin, system toxicity, Wistar rats, histology