Potential Protective Effect of Curcumin Against Thioacetamide-Induced Testicular Injury in Male Rabbits

Background: Advancements in the management of toxicity-induced injury have led to improvements in disease prognosis. However, exposure to certain chemical substances can lead to toxic effects on various body cells and may contribute to infertility. Curcumin has an antioxidant effect on receptors in gonadal cells. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the ability of curcumin to restore thioacetamide-induced changes in germ cells. Materials and Methods: A total of four groups were each allocated eight rabbits: Group I, the control group; Group II, the curcumin (Curc) group; Group III, the thioacetamide (TAA) group; Group IV, the TAA and Curc group. After the rabbits were sacrificed and the testes removed, the tissues were fixed and stained with hematoxylin–eosin (H&E). The sections were evaluated to assess the histological and spermatogenesis-associated changes. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 17.0, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: The serum testosterone level was significantly decreased in Group III (271.40 ± 101.20) compared to Groups I, II, and IV (435 ± 67.50; 457 ± 58.60; 398.80 ± 119.40, respectively). Moreover, marked improvement was observed in the oxidative stress induced by TAA following curcumin treatment for most measured parameters in the study. Histological examination using Johnson's testicular biopsy score (JTBS) criteria and mean seminiferous tubules diameter (MSTD) scores revealed an ameliorative effect of curcumin treatment against the toxic impact of TAA (JTBS was 6.55 ± 1.37 in the TAA group compared to 9.25 ± 0.83 in the TAA and curcumin group; MSTD was 235.90 ± 20.50 in the TAA group compared to 262 ± 15.14 in the TAA and curcumin group). Conclusion: Curcumin decreases the cytotoxic effects of thioacetamide on germ cells, with the addition of improving the oxidants/antioxidants markers and testicular function in rabbits.