Received October 03, 2019
Accepted March 30, 2020

Objective: Generation of oxidative stress is a mechanisms for cadmium-induced reproductive dysfunction. Carpolobia lutea is a free radical scavengers. The study investigate the potential protective effects of methanol extract of Carpolobia lutea root against cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity. Methods: Carpolobia lutea root was obtained in Akure, authenticated at the herbarium of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan, Nigeria, with FHI number 109784. Its methanol extract was obtained by Soxhlet extraction. Thirty male Wistar rats (150-170g) were used in this study, (n=5 per group) and treated thus: Control (1 ml/kg normal saline), Cd (2 mg/kg), Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+100 mg/kg), Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+200 mg/kg), MCL (100 mg/kg), MCL (200 mg/kg). Carpolobia. lutea was administered orally for 8 weeks. A single dose of 2 mg/kg cadmium was given intraperitoneally. Sperm profile was assessed using computer-aided sperm analyser. Sperm acrosome reaction and DNA damage were determined using microscopy. Seminal fructose level was measured spectrophotometrically. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p<0.05. Results: Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+200 mg/kg) significantly increased sperm count (339.0±25.0 vs 29.0±4.5 million/mL), motility (80.0±0.2 vs 55.0±4.9 %), viability (68.7±2.7 vs 31.3±2.9 %) and decreased abnormal sperm (28.3±1.7 vs 43.3±2.5 %) relative to cadmium group. Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+200 mg/kg) significantly increased acrosome reaction (68.0±7.5 vs 15.2±2.4 %) and seminal fructose level (0.49±0.06 vs 0.28±0.06 mmol/L) relative to cadmium group. Cd+MCL (2 mg/kg+200 mg/kg) significantly decreased sperm DNA damage (14.1±1.6 vs 35.9±5.3 %) relative to cadmium group. Conclusions: Carpolobia lutea root extract improves sperm variables of rats exposed to cadmium.