Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme inhibitors like naproxen (NAP) and prostaglandins play important roles in the regulation of reproductive functions in females. Cadmium (CAD) is a toxicant that poses effects on various organs in humans and experimental animals. The aim of this study is to investigate the ameliorating effect of naproxen (NAP) against cadmium-induced testicular toxicity on adult Wistar rats with the objectives on histology, hormonal and biochemical parameters. The total number of animals used were fifteen (15) and were grouped into three (3) (n=5 per group): control (CON); Cadmium (CAD; 5 mg/kg) and Cadmium + Naproxen (NAP; 20 mg/kg) for the period of thirty days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, the animals were weighed and sacrificed using chloroform as a sedative. The organs were located, removed and weighed using an electronic sensitive analytical balance (Sartorius). Results: There are significant differences in the lumen of the control and the group exposed to CAD, which shows that CAD has the ability to disrupt the seminiferous tubules. Significant differences were also found in the epithelium thickness of the CAD-treated groups—with or without NAP.
Morphological alterations were not reversed in the rats exposed to CAD treatment with NAP. Hormonal findings shows that Luteinizing hormone (LH), Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) were markedly significant (p<0.05), but biochemical findings were not significant. In conclusion, CAD induced testicular damage as seen by the histological and morphological observation of the testes, and naproxen ameliorated cadmium-induced testicular damage.
