TY - JOUR A1 - , T1 - Protective and curative role of Citrus sinensis peel on cadmium-induced testicular and spermatic damage: a morphometric and immunohistochemical evaluation using monoclonal antibodies against Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen JO - Eur. J. Anat. SN - 1136-4890 Y1 - 2017 VL - 21 SP - 19 EP - 30 UR - http://www.eurjanat.com/web/paper.php?id=160441ga KW - Citrus sinensis â?? Cadmium â?? Testes â?? Antioxidants â?? Ki-67 â?? PCNA N2 - This study examined the protective and curative effects of aqueous zest extract of Citrus sinensis on Cadmium-induced testicular tumor in animal models. Twenty four male Wistar rats (10 to 12 weeks old) weighing 165-275 g were divided into group A (treated orally with 2.5 ml/kg body weight/daily of normal saline), Group B (treated intraperitoneally with a single dose of 5mg/kg of cadmium), group C (Treated intraperitoneally with 5 mg/kg of cadmium before 10 mg/kg aqueous zest extract of Citrus sinensis orally), group D (treated with 5mg/kg of cadmium before 40 mg/kg extract), group E (treated with 10 mg/kg extract before 5 mg/kg of cadmium) and group F (treated with 40 mg/kg extract before 5mg/kg of cadmium). The procedure lasted for 8 weeks. Group B rats showed a significant (p< 0.05) decrease in testis weight, testis volume, sperm count (p > 0.001), sperm motility (p > 0.001), abnormal sperm morphology (p<0.001) and a significant decrease in tubular diameter, length (p <0.05), cross sectional area, width, germinal epithelia height, numerical density (p <0.01), perimeter, number (p < 0.001) and a significant increase in tubular lumen of the seminiferous tubules. Rats that were treated with cadmium without pre-treatment or post-treatment with extract showed marked degeneration and atrophied seminiferous tubules with absence of late stage germ cells. There was also a reduction in proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) materials and Ki67 positive cells in these rats. Interestingly, all these parameters were however attenuated in the groups that were pre-treated and post-treated with the extract.Taken together therefore, it was concluded that aqueous zest extract of Citrus sinensis have protective and curative roles in the abatement of cadmium-induced testicular tumor and that these effects might be as a result of the antioxidant and free radical scavenging potentials of these neutraceuticals. ER -