Nutraceuticals: A New Challenge against Cadmium-Induced Testicular Injury

Nutrients

Domenico Puzzolo¹  José Freni¹  Herbert Ryan Marini²  Giovanni Squadrito²  Letteria Minutoli²  Antonio Micali³  Pietro Antonuccio³ 

[1] Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy;Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy;Department of Human Pathology of Adult and Childhood, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy;

关键词: cadmium;    testis;    oxidative stress;    inflammation;    apoptosis;    blood–testis barrier;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nu14030663

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread heavy metal and a ubiquitous environmental toxicant. For the general population, the principal causes of Cd exposure are cigarette smoking, air pollution and contaminated water and food consumption, whereas occupational exposure usually involves humans working in mines or manufacturing batteries and pigments that utilize Cd. The aim of the present review is to evaluate recent data regarding the mechanisms of Cd-induced testicular structural and functional damages and the state of the art of the therapeutic approaches. Additionally, as the current literature demonstrates convincing associations between diet, food components and men’s sexual health, a coherent nutraceutical supplementation may be a new valid therapeutic strategy for both the prevention and alleviation of Cd-induced testicular injury. The toxic effects on testes induced by Cd include many specific mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. As no specific therapy for the prevention or treatment of the morbidity and mortality associated with Cd exposure is available, the development of new therapeutic agents is requested. Dietary strategies and the use of nutraceuticals, particularly abundant in fresh fruits, beans, vegetables and grains, typical of the Mediterranean diet, are recommended against Cd-induced testicular injury.

【 授权许可】

Unknown