An electron microscopic and biochemical study of the potential protective effect of ginger against Cadmium-induced testicular pathology in rats

Moustafa E Motawee; Ahmed A Damanhory; Hany Sakr; Mohamed Mansour Khalifa; Tarek Atia; Mohamed M Elfiky; Muhammad Maher; Hader I Sakr

doi:10.3389/fphys.2022.996020

An electron microscopic and biochemical study of the potential protective effect of ginger against Cadmium-induced testicular pathology in rats

Front Physiol. 2022 Oct 3:13:996020. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.996020. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Moustafa E Motawee^{1

2}, Ahmed A Damanhory^{3

2}, Hany Sakr⁴, Mohamed Mansour Khalifa^{5

6}, Tarek Atia^{7

1}, Mohamed M Elfiky^{8

2}, Muhammad Maher⁵, Hader I Sakr^{5

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Histology and Cytology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
² Medicine Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, VAMC, Northeast Ohio Health Care System, Louis Stokes, Cleveland, OH, United States.
⁵ Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
⁶ Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal used in many industries. Since the second half of the 20th century, legislation on Cd use was put to limit the exponential rise in its environmental levels. This study aimed to investigate Cd's functional and ultrastructural changes on rats' reproductive systems and the role of Zingiber officinale (Ginger) in protecting against Cd-induced toxicity. Methods: Thirty adult male albino rats were randomly assigned into three equal groups (n = 10); control, Cd-exposed/untreated, and Cd-exposed/Gin-treated. Rat testes were weighed, and testicular tissue sections were examined under the electron microscope. Semen analysis, morphological examination of spermatozoa, and serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone were measured. In addition, testicular tissue homogenates were analyzed for malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels. Results: Cd-induced significant reduction in the mean testicular weight and GSH levels and plasma testosterone, LH and FSH levels with a concomitant increase in testicular MDA and NO levels. There was also a deterioration in semen analysis parameters and spermatozoa morphology, with testicular structural damage in the form of architecture distortion and necrosis of seminiferous tubules and testicular interstitial cells. Daily administration of ginger for 4 weeks protected against CD-induced toxicity, preserving tissue architecture, improved plasma levels of testosterone, LH and FSH and testicular levels of GSH, and reduced testicular levels of MDA, NO. Conclusion: Ginger has a protective effect on Cd-induced deterioration of testicular tissue's structural and functional integrity by improving testicular tissue antioxidant capacity and steroid production, which ameliorates sex hormone levels in the blood.

Keywords: cadmium; ginger (Zingiber officinale); malondialdehyde (MDA); nitric oxide (NO); reduced glutathione (GSH); testicular tissue.