Effects of chronic low- dose treatment with cyclophosphamide on the rat testis

Introduction: Cyclophosphamide (CP) is used for the treatment of various cancers. In spite of its therapeutic importance, a wide range of adverse effects such as reproductive toxicity has been observed following the administration of this drug in human and experimental animals. In the current study, we have investigated the adverse effects of CP on morphology and histology of testis rats. Methods: Twenty-one male Wistar rats were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups. CP was used at a dose of 6.1 mg/kg/day, (i.p.) for 50 days. At the end of the treatment, the histological and biochemical changes in testis, as well as sperm count and motility were assessed. Results: Testicular weight, sperm count and motility as well as serum testosterone concentration were significantly decreased whereas malondialdehyde (MDA) level was significantly increased in CP group compared with those in the control and sham groups. In addition, histological studies of testis structure showed that seminiferous tubules of testis were severely damaged in the CP group. CP increased the number of sloughing tubules and interstitial space, while it decreased seminiferous tubular diameter (STD), seminiferous epithelial height (SE), tubule differentiation index (TDI) and spermiation index (SPI). Conclusion: The results suggest that cyclophosphamide affect fertility parameters and cause testis atrophy after chronic treatment.