Protective effect of thymus vulgaris extract against cadmium induced nephrotoxicity and testicular damage in albino rats

Abstract EN

40 male albino rats were used for these experimental studies.

They were divided equally into 4 groups: the first group was used as control group, the second group was given thyme extract (300 mg/kg b.w) by gastric intubation, the third group was given CdCl2 (3mg/kg b.w) intraperitoneally while the fourth group were treated by both agents.

Cadmium chloride treated rats exhibited microcytic hypochromic anemia and a significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in total leucocytic count as well as a significant increase in serum urea, creatinine and malondialdehyde.

Moreover a significant decrease in serum total proteins, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio and catalase were detected.

Histopathologically, marked degenerative changes were observed in renal and testicular tissues in CdCl2 treated rats along with diminished expression of Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma2) in renal tissues.

However, thyme extract treatment ameliorated the deleterious effects of CdCl2 on biochemical parameters, enhanced the endogenous antioxidant status, reduced lipid peroxidation and the lesions in renal tissues.

Thyme extract restored the immunohistochemical expression of Bcl-2.

However, hematological parameters and sever testicular degeneration were not alleviated by thyme extract.

Our findings also demonstrated that thyme extract can alleviate CdCl2 nephrotoxicity via its potent antioxidant and anti-apoptotic activities.