PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF CURCUMIN IN CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE INDUCED SPERM HEAD ABNORMALITIES IN MALE MICE.

Abstract

Natural dietary antioxidants are extensively studied for their ability to protect cells from damage to DNA induced by heavy metals. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the protective effects of curcumin against cyclophosphamide induced cytogenetic damage in swiss albino mice, in the first experiment the antigenotoxic effects of curcumin were studied in germ cells of mice. Three concentrations were tested 10, 15 & 20mg/kg of the curcumin the prepared slides were observed for various types of sperm head abnormalities. There was no increase in the percentage of abnormal sperms in curcumin treated groups when compared with control values. In the second experiment when animals were treated with highest concentration of cyclophosphamide, significant increase in the percentage of abnormal sperms was noted .However when animals were primed with curcumin prior to cyclophosphamide treatment, the cells showed inhibition in the percentage of abnormal sperms. Hence present results indicate that the curcumin afforded much protection against drug induced genotoxicity in germ cells of mice.