Effect of Turmeric Oil on Reproductive Efficiency of Adult Male Rats Exposed to Potassium Dichromate

This study conducted to investigate the effects of Potassium Dichromate (K2Cr2O7) and Turmeric Oil (TO) on reproductive efficiency of adult male rats. Twenty four male rats aged 100 days divided randomly into 4 groups. G1 received 1 ml of dimethyle sulfoxide (DMSO) 5% orally as control, G2 received K2Cr2O7 (24 mg/kg orally), G3 received TO dissolve in DMSO 5% (8.5 mg/kg orally) and G4 received both K2Cr2O7 + TO (24 mg/kg + 8.5 mg/kg orally 1⁄2 h in between). K2Cr2O7 treatment revealed significant decrease in body weight, total sperm count, percentage of live sperm, serum Glutathione (GSH), thickness of seminiferous epithelia and number of stage VII cells (spermatogonium, spermatocytes, spermatids) accompanied with significant increase in epididymal, seminal vesicle weight and percentage of dead and abnormal sperms and serum Malondialdehyde (MDA). TO treatment show significant increase in body, testes, epididymal, prostate weight, total sperm count, percentage of live sperms, serum GSH and Testosterone concentration, diameter and thickness of seminiferous tubules and cells number in stage VII with significant decrease in percentage of abnormal and dead sperms, serum MDA, while treatment with both K2Cr2O7 and TO show improvement in the parameters under study. In conclusion, K2Cr2O7 has dangerous effects on reproductive efficiency which have been improved by TO.