The Effectiveness of Time in Treatment with Vitamin C and Broccoli Extract on Cadmium Poisoning in Mice: Histological Changes of Testicular Tissue and Cell Apoptotic Index

• Published in: Biological trace element research 2024-07, Vol.202 (7), p.3278-3292
• Main Authors: Raeeszadeh, Mahdieh, Moradian, Midia, Khademi, Nadia, Amiri, Ali Akbar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - pharmacology; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Brassica - chemistry; Broccoli; Cadmium; Cadmium - toxicity; Cadmium Poisoning - drug therapy; Cadmium Poisoning - pathology; Catalase; Cell lines; Dosage; Growth rate; Heavy metals; Life Sciences; Linolenic acid; Male; Metals; Mice; Motility; Nutrition; Oncology; Oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Parameters; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Poisoning; Reproduction; Reproductive system; Sperm; Spermatogenesis; Spermatozoa; Spermatozoa - drug effects; Sulforaphane; Superoxide dismutase; Testes; Testis - drug effects; Testis - metabolism; Testis - pathology; Time Factors; Tissue; Vegetables; Vitamin C; Vitamins
• ISSN: 0163-4984; 1559-0720
• DOI: 10.1007/s12011-023-03898-4

The growth rate of reproductive system disorders caused by heavy metals is undeniable. The effect of time and interfering compounds are also of paramount importance. The main objective of this study was to compare the effects of broccoli extract and vitamin C in the context of cadmium poisoning on various reproductive parameters in mice, with a specific focus on the influence of time. A total of one hundred and forty-four male mice were randomly assigned to six groups. The control (C) group received only water and a standard diet without any interventions. The Cd group received a single intraperitoneal dose of cadmium chloride at 1.5 mg/kg. The cadmium intervention groups were administered broccoli extract at dosages of 100 mg/kg (Cd + B100), 200 mg/kg (Cd + B200), and 300 mg/kg (Cd + B300), respectively. Additionally, the Cd + VC group was treated with cadmium and vitamin C at 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally for a duration of 28 days. At the end of each week (four stages), five animals were randomly chosen from each group. Epididymal sperm were subjected to analysis for sperm parameters, while testicular tissue sections were examined for histological studies, apoptosis index, and markers of oxidative stress. The influence of time on body and testis weight gain was notably significant in the Cd + B300 and Cd + VC groups ( p  = 0.001). In all groups, except for Cd + B100, there were marked increases in spermatogenic cell lines and the Johnson coefficient compared to the Cd group ( p  = 0.001). These changes were particularly pronounced in the Cd + VC and Cd + B300 groups with respect to time ( p