[Effects of astragalus membranaceus injection on sperm abnormality in Cd-induced rats].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of astragalus membranaceus injection on sperm abnormality in Cd-induced rats.


METHODS
Thirty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: low concentration abstragalus membranaceus group(A1), high concentration astragalus membranaceus group(A2), cyclophosphamide group (CP), cadmium chloride group (Cd) and control group (C). Astragalus membranaceus injections 5 g/(kg.d) or 10 g/(kg.d) were given intraperitoneally to the rats of the A1, A2, CP and Cd groups. After 7 days, cadmium chloride(0.2 mg Cd/kg body weight) was administrated by intraperitoneal injection stimultaneously to the A1, A2 and Cd group rats. At 22 d after cadmium chloride induction, the rats were sacrificed and the testis coefficient, testicular sperm count, daily sperm production, epididymal sperm count and percentage of sperm abnorality were observed, and the testes and epididymides were studied pathologically.


RESULTS
Testis coefficient, testicular sperm count, daily sperm production and epididymal sperm count in the A2 group [(5.68 +/- 1.19), (49.01 +/- 8.78) x 10(6)/g, (10.25 +/- 2.30) x 10(6)/(g.d), (47.51 +/- 22.51) x 10(6)/ml] increased significantly compared with those of the Cd group [(3.11 +/- 0.16), (37.59 +/- 10.63) x 10(6)/g, (5.31 +/- 0.32) x 10(6)/(g.d), (10.89 +/- 2.45) x 10(6)/ml] (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The percentage of sperm abnormality in the A2 group [(7.04 +/- 0.12)%] decreased significantly compared with that of the Cd group [(17.81 +/- 1.55)%] (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
As an antimutagen astragalus membranaceus has practical value in occupational protection against Cd-induced genetic damage.
Department of Urology, First Affiliated Hospital, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, Hainan 570102, China.
Peiyu
P
Liang
Haoyong
H
Li
Xiaohui
X
Peng
Jinzhu
J
Xiao
Jihong
J
Liu
Zhangqun
Z
Ye
D000818:Animals; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D002104:Cadmium / Q000633:toxicity*; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
D002104:Cadmium