Cadmium, a common environmental heavy metal, can damage lung, liver, kidney, and testis. Cadmium toxicity can decrease sperm quality and function. The antioxidants can improve sperm parameters and decrease effective factors in male infertility. In this study, we investigated the effect of astaxanthin on sperm DNA fragmentation and sperm viability in presence of cadmium in mice. 30 adults male mice were divided into 5 groups, control group didn’t receive treatment, sham group intraperitoneally received olive oil and salin as a solvent for astaxanthin and cadmium respectively, Cadmium group received cadmium at a dose of 1 mg/kg, a group received astaxanthin at a dose of 10 mg / kg of animal weight and cadmium at a dose of 1 mg / kg, a group received astaxanthin at a dose of 10 mg / kg. Mice received cadmium, astaxanthin, and solvents intraperitoneally for 14 days. Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and sperm viability were evaluated by the sperm DNA fragmentation kit and eosin-nigrosin staining respectively. The results didn’t indicate a significant change in the sperm viability between control and sham groups. Sperm viability significantly decreased by cadmium compared to the sham group. Astaxanthin in presence of cadmium significantly increased sperm viability in comparison with cadmium group, also astaxanthin significantly increased sperm viability compared to sham group. On the other hand, Cadmium significantly increased Sperm DNA fragmentation comparison with sham group, besides astaxanthin significantly decreased sperm DNA fragmentation induced by cadmium compared to cadmium group. Also, astaxanthin significantly decreased sperm DNA fragmentation in comparison with the sham group. Our finding indicated astaxanthin can protect sperm DNA against cadmium-induced DNA fragmentation and also astaxanthin can increase sperm viability in presence of cadmium.
