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Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress in the Rat Testes: Protective Effects of Betaine

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antioxidant effects of betaine against oxidative stress and pathological changes mediated by cadmium in the testes of rats. The adult male Wistar rats were allocated into three experimental groups as follows: the cadmium group received cadmium chloride at the dosage of 2 mg/kg intraperitoneally thereafter, the rats treated by physiological saline for 10 consecutive days. The betaine plus cadmium group received betaine at the dosage of 1.5 % w/w of the total diet orally for 10 consecutive days and cadmium chloride injected at the 2nd day of the betaine treatment. The control rats were injected physiological saline. Both testes of rats were removed for antioxidant assay and pathological changes evaluation on days 5 and 10 after cadmium toxicity. TBARS concentration (as a lipid peroxidation marker) was significantly higher in the cadmium group by day 10 compared to control and betaine plus cadmium groups, and it was significantly higher in cadmium group by day 5 in comparison with the controls. Catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase activities decreased significantly by day 10 in cadmium group when compared to the controls. In contrast, CAT and superoxide dismutase activities increased significantly by day 10 in betaine plus cadmium group when compared to the cadmium group. In addition, the antioxidant effects of betaine could prevent testicular pathological changes in betaine plus cadmium group. The present data allow us to exploit the advantages of this nutrient agent in future studies.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by research project (No. 90/17) of Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorram Abad, Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, P.O. Box 465, Khorram Abad, Iran

    Arash Kheradmand

  2. Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorram Abad, Iran

    Arash Kheradmand

  3. Division of Biochemistry, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, P.O. Box 465, Khorram Abad, Iran

    Masoud Alirezaei

  4. Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Lorestan University, P.O. Box 465, Khorram Abad, Iran

    Omid Dezfoulian

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  1. Arash Kheradmand
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  2. Masoud Alirezaei
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Correspondence to Masoud Alirezaei.

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Kheradmand, A., Alirezaei, M. & Dezfoulian, O. Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress in the Rat Testes: Protective Effects of Betaine. Int J Pept Res Ther 19, 337–344 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10989-013-9356-x

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