Protective effects of standardised extract of Costus afer leaves (CAME), an extract with good antioxidants on cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats, were investigated in this study. Forty-two adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups and were treated every day regularly for 4 weeks. G1 (control) rats received 1 ml of vehicle treatment. G2 rats were intoxicated with 2.5 mg kg −1 day −1 s.c cadmium chloride for 1 week. G3 and G4 rats were intoxicated with cadmium as in G2 rats and were treated orally with 100 and 200 mg/kg bwt/day of CAME, respectively, for 4 weeks. Group G5 and G6 rats were orally treated with 100 and 200 mg kg −1 day −1 bwt of CAME, respectively, for 4 weeks. Significant changes (p < 0.05) in andrological parameters (sperm count, sperm morphology, serum testosterone and nitric oxide concentration) and testicular antioxidant parameters (reduced glutathione, lipid peroxidation and activities of catalase, glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase) caused by Cd toxicity were improved in cadmium-intoxicated rats treated with 100 mg/kg body weight of CAME. Administration of 200 mg/ kg body weight of CAME to cadmium-intoxicated rats potentiated reproductive toxic effects of cadmium. In conclusion, lower dose of CAME is preferred over high dose in treatment of cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in rats.
K E Y W O R D Scadmium, Costus afer, reproductive toxicity, testes
Highlights
Chronic carbamazepine treatment decreased the body weight and relative liver weight of male Wistar rats.
Carbamazepine induced the activities of liver enzymes in male Wistar rats.
Carbamazepine increased the product of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) of the liver.
Carbamazepine induced various hepatic histomorphological alterations in male Wistar rats.
Most of these derangements were attenuated by grape seed methanolic extract.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.