P-63: Chronic Exposure to Gly-Phosate; Evidence for Testicular Toxicity and Sperm Parameters

Background: Glyphosate (GPT) is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide used to kill weeds, especially annual broadleaf and grasses known to compete with commercial crops grown around the globe. According to United States environmental protection agency the chemical has been reported as a third class toxin. Present study was designed in order to evaluate GPT-induced detrimental effects on testicular tissue and as well to analyze sperm parameters. Materials and Methods: To follow-up present study 18 mature male rats were used. The animals were divided in to three groups as; control (no administration), control-sham (2 mg/kg normal saline, orally) and GPT (1250 mg/kg, orally) for 40 days continuously. Tubular differentiation index (TDI) and leydig clls number/one mm2 of the interstitial connective tissue investigated. The sperm count, motility, abnormality and morphological maturity were evaluated. Results: More than 50% of the seminiferous tubules were manifested with negative TDI in GPT-administrated group. The number of leydig cells/ one mm2 of the interstitial connective tissue significantly (p<0.05) decreased. Light microscopic analyses for sperm parameters revealed that the percentage of dead, immotile and abnormal sperms remarkably increased in GPT-received animals. Moreover the percentage of morphologically immature sperms significantly (p<0.05) elevated in GPTinduced group, while there were no pathological changes in control and control-sham animals. Conclusion: Our data suggests that GPT exerts its pathological effects by degenerating seminiferous tubules. Moreover chronic exposure to this compound leads to remarkable reduction in semen quality.