Objective: To study the effects of astragalus
membranaceus injection on
sperm abnormality in Cd-induced rats. Methods: Thirty
adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: low concentration abstragalus
membranaceus group(A 1), high concentration astragalus membranaceus group(A 2), cyclophosphamide group (CP), cadmium chloride group (Cd) and control group (C). Astragalus membranaceus injections 5 g/(kg·d) or 10 g/(kg·d) were given intraperitioneally to the rats of the A 1, A 2, CP and Cd groups. After 7 days, cadmium chloride( 0.2 mg Cd/kg body weight) was administrated by intraperitioneal injection stimultaneously to the A 1, A 2 and Cd group rats. At 22 d after cadmium chloride induction, the rats were sacrificed and the testis coefficient, testicular sperm count, daily sperm production, epididymal sperm count and percentage of sperm abnorality were observed, and the testes and epididymides were studied pathologically. Results: Testis coefficient, testicular sperm count, daily sperm production and epididymal sperm count in the A 2 group <( 5.68± 1.19), ( 49.01± 8.78)×10 6/g, ( 10.25± 2.30)×10 6/(g·d), ( 47.51± 22.51)×10 6/ml> increased significantly compared with those of the Cd group <( 3.11± 0.16), ( 37.59± 10.63)×10 6/g, ( 5.31± 0.32)×10 6/(g·d), ( 10.89± 2.45)×10 6/ml> (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). The percentage of
sperm abnormality in the A 2 group <( 7.04± 0.12)%> decreased significantly compared with that of the Cd group <( 17.81± 1.55)%>(P< 0.01). Conclusions: As an antimutagen astragalus membranaceus has practical value in occupational protection against Cd-induced genetic damage.