The ameliorative effect of methanolic red carrot extract and vitamin E against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity in rats

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of methanolic redcarrot extract (MRCE) against cadmium intoxication on testis of adult Wisteralbino male rats. For that purpose, forty eight Wister albino male rats wererandomly divided into four groups (12 rats per group). Group 1 (normalcontrol), animals received corn oil. Group 2 (cadmium group), animalsreceived cadmium chloride (CdCl2) at a dose of (5 mg/ kg BW). Group 3(cadmium &Vit. E group), animals received vitamin E at a dose of(400mg/kg BW) and CdCl2at a dose of (5 mg/kg BW). Group 4 (cadmium &red carrot extract, animals received methanol: water red carrot extract (1:1)at a dose of 400 mg/kg and CdCl2 at a dose of (5 mg/kg BW). All rats werereceived their corresponding treatment orally by gastric gavage daily for 4weeks. Result of organ weight analysis in Cd –exposed rats showed adecrease in testes weight. On the contrary, MRCE and vitamin Eprophylactic co-treatments with cadmium showed significant increase intestis weights in comparison to cadmium group (P<0.05). Moreover, spermconcentrations were reduced markedly with cadmium while they wereupturned greatly after prophylactic co-treatment with either MRCE orvitamin E (P<0.05). Moreover, cadmium induced a significant increase intesticular malondialdehyde (MDA) and significant decrease of totalantioxidant capacity (TAC) but both MRCE and vitamin E supplementationsucceeded markedly to produce a significant reduction in testicular MDAand noticeable increase of TAC level. Thus, MRCE and vitamin E could beconsidered optimal prophylactic treatments to protect the testis of rats fromcadmium intoxication.