الفهرس 
Introduction and aim of the workOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Infertility is a major clinical problem, affecting people medically and psychosocially. Of the many causes of male infertility, oxidative stress (OS) has been identified as one factor that affects fertility status and thus, has been extensively studied in recent years. Oxidative stress is a result of the imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in the body. This imbalance is a powerful mechanism that can lead to male infertility. Cellular components, including lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and sugars are potential targets of OS. The extent of OS-induced damage depends not only on the nature and amount of ROS involved, but also on the duration of ROS exposure and on extracellular factors such as temperature, oxygen tension, and the composition of the surrounding environment (e.g., ions, proteins, and ROS scavengers).ROS are generated following cadmium exposure and play important roles in tissue damage.
The present investigation aimed to:
• Study the effect of cadmium chloride on male rats’ fertility through study of semen quality, serum levels of male sex hormones and some of testicular oxidative stress, antioxidant, apoptotic and antiapoptotic markers.
• The possible protective effect of red carrot extract as a model of powerful natural antioxidant as well as vitamin E against deleterious effects caused by cadmium chloride induced testicular toxicity in rats.
This study was carried out on forty eight adult Wister albino male rats that were randomly divided into four groups (twelve rats each group) as follows:
1) group I (normal control) where its rats were administered corn oil as vehicle, 2) group II (cadmium chloride group) where its rats were administered5 mg CdCl2/ kg BW, 3) group III (cadmium chloride &Vitamin E ”Vit. E” group) where its rats were administered 5 mg CdCl2/kg BW and 400 mg Vit. E /kg BW dissolved in corn oil and 4) group IV (cadmium chloride &red carrot methanolic extract) where its rats were administered RCME at a dose of 400 mg/kg and CdCl2at a dose of 5 mg/kg BW. All rats received their corresponding treatments orally by gastric gavage daily for 60 days.
At the end of this period blood samples were collected from medial canthus of the eye by heparinized capillary tubes in clean centrifuge tubes. LH, FSH and testosterone parameters were measured in serum. After scarification of rats semen samples were collected from epididymis for evaluation of semen quality through detecting sperm concentration and sperm abnormalities. Testes were collected and used for measurement some oxidative stress markers and some apoptotic and antiapoptotic markers as well as assessment of testicular pathology. Testicular NO and MDA were measured as oxidant markers and testicular GSH, SOD, CAT and TAC as antioxidant biomarkers and mRNA relative expression of BAX and BCL2as an apoptotic and antiapoptotic markers in testicular tissue. Also histopathological changes in testicular tissue were evaluated.
Results were recorded in (8) tables and (20) figures. The obtained data were subjected to statistical analysis and revealed the following:
Cadmium chloride induced decreased testicular weights and poor semen quality which was indicated by decreased sperm concentration and increased primary and secondary abnormalities.
Cadmium chloride treatment induced significant increase in testicular concentrations of NO& MDA, serum level of FSH and mRNA relative expression level of testicular BAX and significant decrease in serum levels of LH and testosterone, testicular activities of SOD&CAT,testicular concentrations of GSH&TAC and mRNA relative expression level of testicular BCL2.
Co-administration of either vitamin E or red carrot methanolic extract with CdCL2showed a significant improvement in:
• testicular weight which was increased and the semen quality which was indicated by a significant increaseof sperm concentration and significant decrease of primary & secondary abnormalities.
• altered male sex hormones which were indicated by increased serum LH level and serum testosterone level and the modulation of serum FSH level.
• disrupted oxidative parameters which were indicated by a significant decrease of testicular concentrations of MDA & NO and a significantincrease of testicular activities of SOD & CAT and a significant increase of testicular concentrations of/ GSH and TAC,
• and altered apoptotic and antiapoptotic markers as indicated by a significant decrease of mRNA relative expression level of testicularBax and a significant increase of mRNA relative expression of testicular BCL2as compared to cadmium chloride group.
The biochemical and molecular biological results were confirmed by histopathological investigations where many histopathological changes that were detected in testes of rats administered cadmium chloride, were obviously improved in the testes of rats co-administered with either red carrot methanolic extract or vitamin E with CdCL2.
6.2 Conclusion
from the aforementioned results of the present study, it could be concluded that RCME or Vit. E could be effective prophylactic treatments against the deleterious hazards caused by CdCl2 administration on reproductive performance of male rats which included disruption of semen quality, hormonal profile, oxidative stress and apoptosis. Both treatments succeeded with high degree to alleviate all of these hazards and restore the male reproductive parameters to approximately their control levels.