Effect of herbicide based formulations on structure and function of testis in rats

Abstract

Herbicides are known to add toxicity to the soil as their side effect. Farmers use either Paraquat based (PBF) or Glyphosate based (GBF) herbicide formulations for instant management of weeds. Here, we investigated the effect of PBF Gramoxone® and GBF Roundup® on the structure and function of the testis of the male Wistar rats at the pubertal or post pubertal stage. Male rats were gavaged with Gramoxone® (5 mg/kg body wt.) or Roundup® (250 mg/kg body wt.). The treatment period of 25 days starts on a postnatal day (PND) 28 to 53 (from prepubertal to the pubertal stage) or 60 days from PND 28 to 88 (from prepubertal to the post pubertal stage). Age-matched control animals received distilled water. The structure of the testes was evaluated by observing changes in its histology and the function of the testes was assessed by estimating serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone levels. No significant effect was observed in the structure and function of the testes of the pubertal stage rats on exposure to both herbicide formulations. However, shrunken and distorted seminiferous tubules with oligozoospermia in testes, a nonsignificant decrease in FSH and LH, and a significant reduction in testosterone levels were noted in the post pubertal stage rats. The results indicated that changes in the testes of post pubertal groups are due to a longer duration of exposure to the Gramoxone® or Roundup® than in pubertal groups, and also the effect of these two formulations was more on the testis structure and function than on the pituitary-testis axis.