Ameliorative effects of Curcuma longa (turmeric) rhizoid ethanolic extract on cadmium chloride-induced reproductive toxicity in male albino rats

Cadmium exposure is a significant environmental toxicant associated with male reproductive dysfunction through oxidative damage and impairment of sperm quality. This study evaluated the ameliorative effects of Curcuma longa Rhizoid ethanolic extract on cadmium chloride–induced reproductive toxicity in male albino rats. Twenty adult male albino rats weighing 150–200 g were randomly assigned into five groups of four animals each. Group 1 served as the normal control, while Group 2 served as the cadmium-treated control. Groups 2–5 received 30% of the LD₅₀ of cadmium chloride every other day for 17 days. Thereafter, Groups 3, 4, and 5 were administered 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight of Curcuma longa Rhizoid ethanolic extract daily for another 17 days. At the end of the 34-day experiment, animals were sacrificed, and the testes and epididymis were excised. Semen samples collected from the cauda epididymis in warm physiological saline were analyzed. Sperm concentration was determined using a haemocytometer, motility was assessed microscopically by estimating the percentage of actively moving sperm cells, while morphology was evaluated using stained smears to identify structural abnormalities. Cadmium exposure significantly impaired sperm functional parameters, whereas treatment with the extract resulted in improved sperm concentration, enhanced morphological integrity, and partial restoration of motility indices. These findings indicate that Curcuma longa Rhizoid ethanolic extract exhibits ameliorative potential against cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity.