ASSESSMENT OF PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF CURCUMIN ON CADMIUM CHLORIDE INDUCED TESTICULAR TOXICITY IN MALE SWISS ALBINO MICE (MUS MUSCULUS).

It is a well established fact that cadmium is a known clastogen, mutagen and a carcinogen. Its ingestion results in long term multifaceted alterations and impaired biological and physiological functions. It is also known that curcumin a mandatory dietary condiment has potent healing and curative properties. Hence the aim of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of curcumin against cadmium chloride induced testicular toxicity in male Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus). Male Swiss albino mice were divided into four groups, each comprising of six mice. (a) Control group administered only vehicle; (b) experimental group administered only curcumin (10mg/animal/day); (c) experimental group administered a single oral dose of cadmium chloride (50mg/kg/animal/day) and (d) experimental group administered curcumin (10mg/animal/day) for 15 days and on the 16th day cadmium chloride (50mg/kg/animal/day). After completion of dose administration mice were sacrificed and testes were excised. Sections of testes were processed for histopathological, histochemical and biochemical studies. Histopathological examination showed cadmium induced toxicity as manifested by damaged disorganized cellular layers of seminiferous tubules, leydig cells, apoptotic cells, and loss of interstitial tissue ameliorated by the administration of Curcumin. Histochemcial staining resulted in altered distribution pattern of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme on cadmium administration. The curcumin pre treated group showed an enzymatic distribution profile similar to that of control group. Biochemical test result in a marked decrease in the activity levels of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) significantly (P<0.05) in the cadmium treated mice. The degree of decrease of these enzymes was significantly less (P<0.05) when mice were pre treated with curcumin. Curcumin appear to possess an ameliorative potential against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity.