The Effect of Cadmium and Selenium on The Testicular Function and Tissue Injury in Male Rats

The effect of the sub lethal dose of cadmium chloride CdCh7mglkgl body I weight ) was investigated on the testis and some spermparameters in rats .. To evaluate the effect of cadmium exposure as CdCh,was orally administered to mature male rats( 250-300g I body weight)for 28 days and the effects on the sperm count , sperm motility , spermabnormality , sperm death percentages and testes weight, as well astesticular histology were observed. To evaluate the beneficial action ofSelenium against Cadmium chloride-induced reduced sperm count andsperm abnormalities and testes injury in albino rats , an additional twogroups of rats were treated for same period with SeCiz 8m/kgl bodyweight ) and Cd - Se combination respectively to determine thereversibility of Cd-induced changesThe sperm counts, sperm motility, sperm abnormality and sperm )death percentages were significantly decreased following 28th day ofCdCh treatment, but were unaffected by Se and Cd- Se exposures. Thetesticular, epididymis, prostate and seminal vesicle weight werenoticeably reduced with Cd-treatment as compared to control. Thechanges caused by cadmium are mostly recovered by Se administration.Cadmium chloride exposure injures the fertility parameters of male ratsand the effects are reversible due to Se supplementation. On the otherhand, co-administration of Se at the above mentioned dose to Cadmiumtreated rats led to the most significant decline in testes tissue damagealorig with elevated sperm count and . reduction in the percentage ofabnormal spenn population. The protective action of Se and theantagonistic effect of both Se and Cadmium induced testes tissue damageare discussed.