Curcumin ameliorates aflatoxin-induced toxicity in mice spermatozoa

Objective: To investigate the ameliorative effect of curcumin on aflatoxin-induced toxicity in mice spermatozoa. Design: Prospective controlled animal study. Setting: University research laboratory. Patient(s): Young, inbred, Swiss-strain male albino mice (Mus musculus), weighing approximately 37 to 40 g, were obtained from Cadila Health Care, Ahmedabad, India. Intervention(s): Aflatoxin was orally administered in 25 (low dose) and 50 (high dose) mu g/0.2 mL olive oil to each animal, each day (750 and 1500 mu g/kg body weight), respectively, with and without curcumin for 45 days. On 46th day the animal were killed by cervical dislocation. The cauda epididymis were removed and weighted, then was tested in normal saline to obtain spermatozoa. Main Outcome Measure(s): Sperm count, viability, and motility were assessed immediately. Sperm semidried smears were prepared on slides and stained by Papanicolaou stain to study sperm morphologic features. Result(s): There was a dose-dependent spermicidal effect of aflatoxin. Sperm count, viability, and motility were statistically significantly reduced. Different morphologic abnormalities were encountered. Treatment with curcumin along with aflatoxin ameliorated aflatoxin-induced sperm count, immobilizatin, and viability, and improved the morphologic characteristics of the sperm. Conclusion(s): Curcumin has an ameliorative effect on sperm parameters and improves morphologic features of sperm in mice.