Lead and Cadmium Induced Oxidative Stress in the Epididymis and Spleen of Rats: Effects of Sesamol

Lead and cadmium are known as environmental pollutants extensively found in food and water that induce hazards to animals’ and people’s health. Sesamol is a dietary antioxidant that is found in some plants. Epididymis is known to play an important role in the maturation and storage of the sperm. The spleen is an important organ involved in the immune response. The present study aims to analyze the oxidative stress in spleen and epididymis. Therefore, Lead (LN) (90 mg/kg bw per day, 1/25 LD50), Cadmium (CdCl2) (3 mg/kg bw per day, 1/25 LD50), and sesamol (50 mg/kg bw per day) were given to rats by gavage for 28 days. Antioxidant enzyme activities in epididymis and spleen tissues [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S transferase], malondialdehyde (MDA) were investigated at the end of 28 days comparatively with the control group. It is revealed that there is a significant decline in the antioxidant enzymes and increase in MDA levels in the spleen and epididymis tissues of the lead and cadmium treated rats compared to the control group. A small increase in these parameters was also observed in the sesamol treated groups.