P-55: Evaluation of Effects of Gibberellic Acid on Testicular Tissue of Adult Rats

Background: Gibberellic acids are naturally occurring plant hormones that are used in agriculture as plant regulators and enter animals and human cells through diet. This study was undertaken to investigate effects of gibberellic acid on testicular tissue of adult rats. Materials and Methods: Twenty seven adult male Wistar rats after a one week acclimatization period were randomly divided into three groups of 9 rats each. Control group was untreated, control-sham group received 0.5cc 1% methanol and gibberellic acid group was administered 10 mg/kg body weight gibberellic acid with oral gavage, every other day. The following factors were evaluated on 15th, 30th and 45th day of treatment: Body weight, testis weight, thickness of testicular capsule, seminiferous tubules diameter, thickness of seminiferous tubules epithelium (TSTE), meiotic index (MI), tubular differentiation index (TDI), repopulation index (RI) of seminiferous tubules, spermiogenesis index (SI), Leydig cell count (LeCC) and lymphatic cell count (LyCC). Results: There was no significant difference in first four factors between different groups and days. MI, TDI and SI of gibberellic acid only on 45th day decreased significantly in comparison with the other two groups. TSTE, RI and LeCC on days 30 and 45 of gibberellic acid treated group decreased and LyCC of this group in the same days increased significantly. Conclusion: It can be concluded that Gibberellic acid oral administration in adult rat with its deleterious effects on testicular tissue and spermatogenesis can lead to subfertility or even infertility.