Background: Arsenic as an environmental contaminant induces male infertility. Curcumin with potent antioxidant property is able to restrict oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of curcumin on testis tissue and sperm count in adult mice treated with sodium arsenite.

Materials and Methods: In an experimental study, animals were divided into four groups: control, sodium arsenite (5 mg/kg), curcumin (100 mg/kg) and curcumin+sodium arsenite. Treatments were performed by intraperitoneal injection for five weeks. After treatment period, body weight was recorded. Left testis was dissected, weighed and used for the histopathological study of seminiferous tubules. Left cauda epididymis was also used to count sperm number.

Results: Mice treated with sodium arsenite showed a significant decrease in the sperm count, the diameter of seminiferous tubules and a significant increase in the lumen diameter of tubules compared to control group. In curcumin+sodium arsenite group, curcumin significantly reversed the adverse effects of sodium arsenite on testis and sperm count. Whereas, the treated mice showed no significant difference in body and testis weight as well as morphology and nuclear diameter of spermatogonia between four groups.

Conclusion: Curcumin is able to compensate the toxic effect of sodium arsenite on sperm count and testis in adult mouse.

Abstract

Background: Eryngium caucasicum Trautv has antioxidant properties due to the presence of flavonoids and phenolic compounds. So, the present study was done to investigate the protective effects of Eryngium caucasicum Trautv extract on tricyclazole induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 42 mice were divided into 6 groups including control, sham, tricyclazole (TCZ) and three experimental groups. The mice in the tricyclazole group, received 50 mg/kg TCZ via intraperitoneal injection and experimental groups 2, 3 and 4 received respectively 100,200and 400 mg/kg of extract via gavage for 4 weeks and 2 days per week.  The sham group received only sterile water. At the end, serum levels of ALT, AST and ALP, serum concentration of albumin and total bilirubin were measured. Also, total phenolic compounds and flavonoids in the extract were measured. Data were analyzed by using ANOVA.

Results: Tricyclazole increased serum levels of aminotransferase, phosphatase alkaline and total bilirubin and decreased serum concentration of albumin. But, treatment with extract decreased liver enzymes and bilirubin and increased levels of albumin (p<0.05). Amount of total phenolic compounds and the flavonoids were measured 91.16 mg/gr galicacid in extract and 84.48 mg/gr quercetin in extract, respectively.

Conclusion: The results demonstrated that Eryngium caucasicum Trautv extract due to the presence of high phenolic compounds has protective effects on tricyclazole induced hepatotoxicity.