Efficacy of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) and diphenyl diselenide on cadmium induced testicular damage in mice.

The deleterious effect of acute cadmium-intoxication in mice testes was evaluated. Animals received a single dose of CdCl2 (2.5 or 5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) and a number of toxicological parameters in mice testes were examined, such as delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (delta-ALA-D) activity, lipid peroxidation, hemoglobin and ascorbic acid contents. Furthermore, the parameters that indicate tissue damage such as plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were also determined. Thus, a possible protective effect of 2,3-dimercapto-1-propane-sulfonic acid (DMPS) and diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 were studied. The results demonstrated an inhibition of delta-ALA-D activity, a reduction of ascorbic acid and an increase of lipid peroxidation induced by cadmium, indicating testes damage. Furthermore, we observed an increase of plasma LDH, AST and ALT activities. DMPS (400 mol/kg) and (PhSe)2 (100 micromol/kg) partially protected from the inhibitory effect of 2.5 mg/kg CdCl2 on delta-ALA-D and from the increase of TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive species) levels. (PhSe)2 therapy was effective in ameliorate ascorbic acid content when the cadmium dose was 2.5 mg/kg. Treatment with DMPS and (PhSe)2, individually or combined, was inefficient in reducing cadmium-induced plasma LDH and ALT activity increase. The use of combined therapy (DMPS plus (PhSe)2) proved to be efficient in decreasing cadmium levels in testes and in ameliorating plasma AST activity from animals that received the highest dose of cadmium.