Othman M.S.Nada A.Zaki H.S.Abdel Moneim A.E.Faculty of BiotechnologyOctober University for Modern Science and Arts (MSA)GizaEgypt; Department of Zoology and EntomologyFaculty of ScienceHelwan UniversityCairoEgypt; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyAsturias Institute of BiotechnologyUniversity of OviedoOviedoSpain2020-01-092020-01-0920141634984https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-9955-1PubMedID24728876https://t.ly/W55vmScopusMSA Google ScholarCadmium (Cd) stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species and causes tissue damage. We investigated here the protective effect of Physalis peruviana L. (family Solanaceae) against cadmium-induced testes toxicity in rats. Twenty-eight Wistar albino rats were used. They were divided into four groups (n=7). Group 1 was used as control. Group 2 was intraperitoneally injected with 6.5 mg/kg body weight (bwt) of cadmium chloride for 5 days. Group 3 was orally treated with 200 mg/kg bwt of methanolic extract of physalis (MEPh). Group 4 was pretreated with MEPh before cadmium for 5 days. Changes in body and testes weights were determined. Oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzymes, and testosterone level were measured. Histopathological changes of testes were examined, and the immunohistochemical staining for the proapoptotic (caspase-3) protein was performed. The injection of cadmium caused a significant decrease in body weight, while a significant increase in testes weight and testes weight index was observed. Pretreatment with MEPh was associated with significant reduction in the toxic effects of Cd as shown by reduced testicular levels of malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and caspase-3 expression and increased glutathione content, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and testosterone were also increased. Testicular histopathology showed that Cd produced an extensive germ cell apoptosis, and the pretreatment of MEPh in Cd-treated rats significantly reduced Cd-induced testicular damage. On the basis of the above results, it can be hypothesized that P. peruviana L. has a protective effect against cadmium-induced testicular oxidative stress and apoptosis in the rat. � 2014 Springer Science+Business Media.EnglishOctober University for Modern Sciences and ArtsUniversity for Modern Sciences and ArtsMSA Universityجامعة أكتوبر للعلوم الحديثة والآدابApoptosisCadmiumOxidative stressPhysalis peruviana LTestescadmiumcadmium chloridecaspase 3catalaseglutathioneglutathione peroxidaseglutathione reductasemalonaldehydenitric oxidePhysalis peruviana extractplant extractprotective agentsuperoxide dismutasetestosteroneunclassified drugcadmiumcaspase 3glutathionemalonaldehydeplant extractadultanimal experimentanimal modelanimal tissueapoptosisarticlecadmium induced testicular toxicitycontrolled studydown regulationenzyme activityfruitgerm cellhistopathologyimmunohistochemistrylipid peroxidationmalenonhumanoxidative stressPhysalisphysalis peruvianaprotein expressionratspermatogenesissteroidogenesistestis diseasetestis injurytestis weighttestosterone blood levelweight changeanimalchemistrydrug effectsmetabolismtestistoxicityPhysalisPhysalis peruvianaRattusSolanaceaeAnimalsApoptosisCadmiumCaspase 3GlutathioneMaleMalondialdehydeOxidative StressPhysalisPlant ExtractsRatsTestisArticlehttps://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-9955-1PubMedID24728876