Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41580550›Full record

ArticleMolecular neurobiology2026

Redox Perturbation in Cadmium-Mediated Hypothalamic, Pituitary, and Testicular Impairment and Protective Effects of Zinc in Rats Is Accompanied by Modulation of Tryptophan Catabolism Enzyme/Protein.

Azubuike Peter Ebokaiwe, Theresa Ezedom, Uche Denis-Eboh, Othuke Bensandy Odeghe, Jacinta N Obimma, Olusanya Olasehinde

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Article in Molecular neurobiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Azubuike Peter EbokaiweToxicology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. azu-ebokaiwe@delsu.edu.ng.
Theresa EzedomToxicology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
Uche Denis-EbohToxicology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
Othuke Bensandy OdegheToxicology and Immunotherapy Research Unit, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
Jacinta N ObimmaDepartment of Physiology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria.
Olusanya OlasehindeDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal found in the environment from natural (volcanic eruptions) and industrial sources, including mining, smelting, batteries, and fuel combustion. Studies have shown that oxidative stress, inflammation, and abnormal immune response are associated with Cd-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) toxicity. The dietary trace element zinc (Zn) prevents oxidative and inflammatory effects in diverse experimental models. The literature has reported that Zn inhibits Cd-mediated HPT toxicity. Our objective is to investigate the mechanisms by which Zn inhibits the Cd-induced HPT toxicity in rats. A 42-day waterborne exposure of Cd and Zn was administered to rats individually at 200 μg/L or in a co-exposure. Treatment with Zn significantly (p < 0.05) reduced inflammatory and oxidative imbalance, as well as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity and expression in both the hypothalamus and testes of rats. Furthermore, a Zn-induced reduction (p < 0.05) in cadmium (Cd) concentration led to fewer degenerating neurons in the hypothalamus and lower testicular injury scores observed in the Sertoli and Leydig cells on histological examination. Exposure to Zn also resulted in an increased (p < 0.05) sperm count, motility, viability, and lowered morphological alterations due to its antagonistic effect on Cd-induced decrease in reproductive/pituitary hormones and steroidogenic enzyme activities. Zn displayed high binding affinity (-9.2 kcal/mol) when docked with IDO, thus counteracting Cd-induced increase in IDO activity/expression by modulating redox imbalance.

Indexed as

CadmiumHypothalamusPituitary GlandTestisTryptophanZincAnimalsIndoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-DioxygenaseMaleOxidation-ReductionOxidative StressRatsRats, WistarCadmiumIndoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-DioxygenaseTryptophanZincCadmiumHypothalamusIndoleamine 2,3-dioxygenaseOxidative/inflammatory stressZinc

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.