The Comparison of the Effect of Origanum Vulgar Aqueous Extract and Vitamin C on the Control of Cadmium Chloride Damage in Testicular Tissue in Male Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Cadmium is one of the pollutants in ecosystems. This heavy metal as a toxin affects the reproductive system and causes the destruction of the spermatogenesis process. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of Origanum vulgar aqueous extract and vitamin C on cadmium chloride damage in testicular tissue. METHODS: This experimental study was performed on 30 wistar male rat in four groups of six rats. The control received Cadmium 2 mg/kg of single dose intraperitoneal, T1 group received cadmium with vitamin C 250 mg/kg. T2, T3 and T4 groups received cadmium and aqueous extract of Marjoram at 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg, respectively for 10 days intraperitoneal. At the end of the period, the animals were weighed. Serum antioxidant level and malondialdehyde in testis tissue were measured. In addition, after staining were counted calls in testicular tissue. FINDINGS: The highest concentration of MDA was observed in the control group at 1.4±0.018 and the lowest in the T4 at 93.03±0.30 μmol/ml. The lowest antioxidant capacity in control was 796.41±40.76 and the highest in T4 group was 1198.91±51.45 μmol/ml. There was no statistically significant difference in the concentration of MDA and TCA between T1 and T3 groups (p=0.076). However, the mean of testicular tissue cells (sertoli, spermatogonia, spermatocytes and laydic) in T3 was the highest and lowest mean in control group and the difference was significant (P=0.048). CONCLUSION: According to results of this study, Marjoram aqueous extract in controlling oxidative stress damage in the same dose 250 mg/kg has a better performance than vitamin C.