Preventive Capacity of Citrus paradisi Juice for Male Reproductive Damage Induced by Cadmium Chloride in Mice

Previous studies have shown mouse antigenotoxic and chemopreventive potential with the administration of Citrus paradisi juice (GJ). To evaluate another activity, the aim of the present report was to determine the beneficial effect of GJ on male mouse reproductive damage induced by cadmium chloride (CC). Seven groups of mice were intragastrically (IG) administered for 11 days. A control group was administered purified water daily, three groups were administered GJ daily (4.1, 16.6, and 33.2 µL/g), plus a single administration of CC (3 mg/kg) on the fifth day of the assay, another group was treated daily with 33.2 µL/g GJ, and a positive control group was treated with 3 mg/kg of CC on day 5 of the experiment. The results with the high GJ dose on the CC-treated mice showed a mean reduction of 88% in sperm quality endpoints (viability, motility, malformations) and a 94% sperm concentration increase. With the same dose, we also determined an 81% reduction in the DNA breaking potential and in the number of micronuclei in the spermatids. We also found an 87% decrease in lipoperoxidation and a 68% decrease in protein oxidation with respect to the CC damage, and a strong DPPH scavenging ability. Our results suggest the potential involvement of the GJ antioxidant in the observed effect.