Effects of Cadmium and /or Chromium on reproductive organs and semen profiles of male albino rats

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the potential hazards of cadmium and/or chromium on the reproductive system of adult male albino rat. Design: Randomized controlled study. Animals: Forty mature male albino rats weighing 260 ± 10 g. Procedures: Rats were allocated into four groups (ten animals each). Control group (group 1), group 2 received 4.4 mg kg-1 cadmium chloride, group 3 was given 2.5 mg kg-1 sodium dichromate and group 4 received combination of Cd (2.2 mg kg-1) and Cr (1.25mg kg-1) orally, once daily for 65 consecutive days. Results: Exposure to Cd or Cr, in particular their combination, caused a reduction in the index weights of testes, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate glands. They induced a reduction of sperm count and viability with an increase of abnormal sperm morphology. Interestingly, in the combination group (Cd and Cr together), the deleterious effects were more noticeable. Pathologically, both Cd and Cr produced degenerative changes in seminiferous tubules, necrosis of spermatogenic epithelium within the testis. Moreover, the interstitial tissue of epididymis showed marked edema and prostate showed necrosis and serous exudate of lining epithelium. In the interaction group, testis showed complete degenerative changes and necrosis of spermatogenic epithelium, with marked interstitial edema and hyperplastic epithelial lining of epididymal tubules. Conclusion and clinical relevance: The present results support the hypothesis that the testis is one of the most sensitive organs to Cd and/or Cr and that the exposure to any of them or to their combination lead to testicular damage and thereby male infertility.

Association of serum hormone profile and semen quality of infertile males in and around Chennai

“…29 Eman et al states that the higher BMI is one of the risk factors for abnormal semen parameters. 30 In this study found that obese oligozoospermia group shows abnormal LH level compared to normal group. This study shows a negative correlation of LH with sperm count (r=-0.41, p<0.05), motility (r=-043, p<0.05) and morphology (r=-0.04, p<0.05), which supports our findings.…”

Reproductive and hormonal responses of two breeds of roosters fed diets containing chromium picolinate with or without vitamin C at high ambient temperature

“…The respective non significant and increasing influences reported in these two observations may be partly due to the species difference. Semen analysis of rats in sub chronic exposure to Cr was equally reported to result in a significant decrease in total sperm count and viability with a significant increase in the percent of sperms with abnormal morphology (Abd Elhafeez et al, 2019). In another study, the relative weight of testis, the number of epididymal spermatozoa and sperm motility were reportedly reduced in chromium treated rats (Marouani et al, 2012).…”

“…The significant reduction in the parameters weights at high dose could be the result of structural damage. In another development, exposure to Cr was reported to cause a reduction in weights of testes, epididymis, seminal vesicle and prostate glands (Abd Elhafeez, Halawa, Hamed, & Abouelmaged, 2019). The testes being the site of spermatogenesis are very sensitive to Cr.…”