REPR()DUCTIVE TOXICITY ()F S()DIUM ARSENITE IN SPRAGUE DAWLEY MALE I~AT

Abstract

The present study was desi gned to evaluate the e ITect 0 I' so d i um arsen i te on reprod ueti \'C structure and [un ction in grow ing age (28-56 days) male rats 1'01' 28 days durati on. There was no signiri ca nt dilTerence in body weight or control and sod ium arsenite treated rats at the start or experim ent. Body weight decreased hi ghly significantly in sod ium arsenite treated rats co mpared to control s. I 1i gh dose (200ppm) treated group showed highest decrease in body weight compared to controls and other two treatment groups. Testicu lar 'vve ight showed dose dependent signi (i eant decrease in treated rats. the hi ghest decrease being observed in 200ppl11 treatment gro up compared to contro ls anci other two treatment gro ups. Testicular length and width showed non-signi ficant decrease in 50ppm and 100ppm groups, but this decrease \,vas hi ghl y signi ficant in 200ppnl group. Arsenic treatment ca used hi ghl y signifi cant dose dependent decrease in we ight and length or epid idymes and vas dderens compared to co ntrols. Morphometric st udi es showed hi ghly signi lieant dose dependent decrease in testicul ar semini femus tubule diam eter and its epithelial height, nuclear diameter of Leydig cell, Sertoli cell , and spermatogenic cel ls compared to controls as well as in between them. The number o[ Leydig cell , Sertoli ce ll and spermatogenic cells decreased with the increase in dose of sodium arsenite. Interstitial spaces extended and th ickness of testi cul ar capsule decreased in the trea ted groups. In 100ppm and 200ppm groups X-XIV stages or spermatogenesis showed impai red sperm atogenesis. Lpidiciymal (cap ut, corpus and ca uda) tu bule diameter and its epithelial height decreased hi gh ly significant ly in dose dependent manner in treated rats compared to the controls as 'vve ll as in between them. The intertu bul ar areas enlarg.cd ami the height or principal ce lls and cilia decreased with the increase in dose or sodium arsen ite. Disarrangement of epithelial cells was observed in trea ted gro ups. I,umen co ntained cellu lar debris in 200ppm group. Vas deferens diameter, its muscu lar thickness and epitheli al hei ght decreased high ly significantly in dose dependent manner in treated rats compared to co ntrols as wel l as in between them. lleight of principal cells and ci I ia decreased dose dependently. Disarrangement of epitheli al cel ls and loosening or muscularis was observed in treated groups. Cellular debris was observed in high dose group. Sodi um arseni te treatment caused highly sign i fi ca nt dose dependent decrease in plasma tes tosterone concentration compared to controls. r li gh dose group showed significant decrease in mean testos terone concentrati on compared to 50ppm group. Treated groups showed dose dependently highl y significant decrease in plasma FSJ I concentration compared to co ntrols. High dose treatment group exhibited highly significant decrease in plasma FS1l concentration compared to other two gro ups. Plasma rJ l concentration decreased significantly in treated rats compared to the con trol whereas comparison 01' treated groups showed no signi licant di ITerence. Sodium arsenite treatment ca used highl y signili cant dose dependent dec rease in te sticular DSP co mpared to controls. Treatment 01' 100ppm and 200ppm sodium arse nite caused hi gh ly signifi cant decrease in 111ean DSP compared to low dose treatment. Mean eLTie iency of' DSP decreased non-signiGeantly in low dose treated group and hi ghly signifLcan tly in 100ppm and 200ppm treatment groups compared to controls. Mean effi ciency of DSP decreased high ly signi (icantly in lOOppm and 200ppm groups compared to 50PP111 group. Arse nic treatment caused highly signi ficant dose depend ent decrease in mean epididymal sperm count compared to contro ls as wel l as in between the groups . Mean test icul ar and blooci XIII arsenic deposition increased signi ficantly in dose dependent manner in treated rats compared to co ntrols as well as in between the trea ted groups. I)ose dependent significant increase \-vas obse rved in mean epidid ymal arse nic deposition in the trea tment groups compared to controls, the hi gbest deposi tion was observed in 200ppm gro LlI . Mean va:, defe rens arsenic deposition increased non-s ignifi cantly in 50ppm treatment group and si gni f~ cantl y in lOOpm and 200ppm groups com pared to co ntra Is. I ri gh dose treatment caused significant increase in vas deferens arsenic deposition compared to other two doses. Number o r epididymal sperm nucl ei with intact DNA decreased and with comets increased hi ghly signi f~ ca ntl y in dose dependent manner in trea ted groups compared to co ntrols as well as in between them. Mean epididymal sperm comet length, cO lllet height. comet head diameter and cOlllet head DNA percentage in creased hi ghly signifi cant ly in a dose dependent manner compared to controls and among tbe treated groups. Mean eomet tail length and comet tail DNA percentage increased non-sign i ficantly in 50ppm treatment group and highly signifi cantly in other two treatment groups compared to co ntrols. I I igh dose group showed significant increase compared to 50ppm group. Arse nic treatm ent caused s i g nif~cant difference in mean comet tail DNA percentage in between treatment groups. Arsenic treatment caused non-s igni fi ca nt in crease in mean comet tai I and olive moment in 50ppm treatment group and signi fi ca nt increase in IOOppm and 200ppm groups compared to contro ls, the hi ghest increase was observed in 200ppm group. It is concluded that arsenic treatm ent at all dose levels adverse ly efTeet the structure and [unction or testes, epididymes and vas deferens in rats at 56 days age