Cadmium (Cd) is a pervasive environmental contaminant that accumulates in the food chain, posing significant risks to animals and humans. This study investigated the potential of dietary pyranoanthocyanins, which can mitigate Cd toxicity. In a 1-week Cd-exposure experiment, Cd levels in the blood, small intestine, and feces dramatically increased in the Cd-exposed group, but cyanidin-3-glucoside-4-vinylcatechol (C3GVC) intervention significantly reduced ileum Cd content while enhancing fecal Cd excretion. Furthermore, the CdC3GVC group significantly upregulated the expression levels of tight junction (TJ) proteins in the small intestine, contributing to improving intestinal barrier integrity. In a 1-month Cd-exposure experiment, C3GVC decreased blood Cd (-70. 0%) and significantly improved sperm count and motility. It additionally restored testosterone levels (+81. 7%) and luteinizing hormone levels via the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. This was accompanied by upregulation of the expression of key proteins in the T synthesis pathway. Overall, C3GVC showed protective efficacy by reducing intestinal Cd absorption, promoting Cd elimination, and preserving reproductive hormone homeostasis.
Zhang et al. (2026) studied this question.