ABSTRACT
Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of curcumin on epididymal sperm parameters in adult male Navel Medical Research Institute [NMRI] mice exposed to sodium arsenite
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, we divided the animals into four groups: control, sodium arsenite [5 mg/kg], curcumin [100 mg/kg] and curcumin+sodium arsenite. Exposures were performed by intraperitoneal injections for a 5-week period. After the exposure period, we recorded the animals' body and left testes weights. The left caudal epididymis was used to count the sperm number and analyze motility, viability, morphological abnormalities, acrosome reaction, DNA integrity, and histone-protamine replacement in the spermatozoa. Oneway analysis of variance [ANOVA] followed by the Tukey's test was used to assess the statistical significance of the data with SPSS 16.0. P<0.05 was considered significant
Results: Mice exposed to sodium arsenite showed a significant decrease in the number, motility, viability, normal sperm morphology and acrosome integrity of spermatozoa compared to the control group. In the curcumin+sodium arsenite group, curcumin significantly reversed these adverse effects to the point where they approximated the control. In addition, the application of curcumin alone had no significant difference in these parameters compared to the control and curcumin+sodium arsenite groups. However, we observed no significant differences in the body and the testis weight as well as the DNA integrity and histone-protamine replacement in the spermatozoa of the four groups
Conclusion: Curcumin compensated for the toxic effects of sodium arsenite on a number of sperm parameters in adult mice
ABSTRACT
Arsenic as an environmental toxicant is able to exert malformations in male reproductive system by inducing oxidative stress. Vitamin E [Vit.E] is known as antioxidant vitamin. The aim of this study was to investigate the harmful effects of sodium arsenite on sperm parameters and the antioxidant effects of Vit.E on sperm anomalies in sodium arsenite treated rats. Adult male rats were divided into 4 groups: control, sodium arsenite [8 mg/kg/day], Vit.E [100 mg/kg/day] and sodium arsenite+Vit.E. Oral treatments were performed till 8 weeks. Body and left testis weight were recorded and then left caudal epididymis was cut in Ham's F10. Released spermatozoa were used to analyze number, motility, viability and abnormalities of the sperm. Sperm chromatin quality was assessed by nuclear staining using acridine orange and aniline blue. Body and testis weight showed no significant change in 4 groups [p>0.05]. A significant decrease in the number, motility, viability and normal sperm morphology was found in sodium arsenite-treated rats compared to the control [p<0.001]. Sodium arsenite had no effect on sperm DNA integrity and histon-protamine replacement [p>0.05]. In sodium arsenite+Vit.E group, Vit.E could significantly compensate the harmful effects of sodium arsenite on sperm number, motility, viability and morphology compared to sodium arsenite group. In addition, sperm viability and motility was significantly increased in rats treated with Vit.E alone compared to the control and sodium arsenite+Vit.E group. Vitamin E could compensate the adverse effects of sodium arsenite on sperm parameters in adult rats