Effects of dietary energy level on reproductive characteristics in male African giant rat Cricetomys gambianus

Background: The study was conducted to assess the effects of the digestible dietary energy level on some reproductive characteristics in African giant rat.Methods: Sixteen young males were randomly distributed into 4 groups of 4 animals each. To each group was attributed randomly one of the 4 dietary energy levels (3600 Kcal/kg, 3800 Kcal/kg, 4000 Kcal/kg or 4200 Kcal/kg). The daily distribution of experimental diets last six months, ie ended when cricetoma were 8 months old. At the end of that period, all animals were sacrificed.Results: Results showed an increase in testes weight with the augmentation of dietary digestible energy level (0.79±0.13, 0.88±0.17, 1.02±0.28 and 1.02±0.16 respectively for 3600 Kcal/kg, 3800 Kcal/kg, 4000 Kcal/kg and 4200 Kcal/kg). The serum testosterone level, the sperm mobility (76.67, 62, 63 and 57%) and count per cauda epididymis (18.25±3.75, 16.38±4.19, 10.83±2.02 and 10.13±2.9) and per gram cauda epididymis (39.09±11.82, 27.01±4.23, 15.41±3.31 and 17.40±7.28) significantly (p<0.05) decreased with the increasing level of digestible energy in the feed.Conclusions: The dietary digestible energy level that gave the higher reproductive performances in male African giant rat was 3600 Kcal/kg DM

Toxicity and Reproductive Parameters Impairment of Cypermethrin in Male Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus)

Cypermethrin is a large spectrum action insecticide, globally employed to control pests in agriculture and some human and domestic animals ectoparasites. This study aimed to evaluate its toxicity and reproduction impairment in male guinea pig. Forty adult male guinea pigs were divided into 4 groups and orally submitted to 0, 92, 137.5 and 275 mg/kg body weight/day for 90 days. The weight of the liver increased significantly, while that of kidneys decreased significantly in treated animals compared to controls. Serum concentrations of creatinine, urea, ALAT, ASAT, total cholesterol, prostatic acid phosphatase increased significantly, while the testicular total protein level decreased significantly in groups given the insecticide relatively to the control. The testes weight, libido, serum level of testosterone, mobility, sperm count and the percentage of spermatozoa with entire plasma membrane decreased significantly in animals exposed to cypermethrin with reference to controls. The percentages of abnormal spermatozoa increased significantly in animals submitted to 137.5 or 275 mg/kg body weight (bw) of cypermethrin compared to control ones. On the testis histological sections of pesticide-treated animals, immature germinal cells were observed in the lumen of seminiferous tubules. Cypermethrin was toxic in male guinea pig and damaged reproductive parameters

Persistence of the reproductive toxicity of chlorpiryphos-ethyl in male Wistar rat

Objective: To study the effects of chlorpiryphos-ethyl (CE) on male fertility. Methods: Rats were gavaged daily from 30 to 120 days old with four doses of CE (10.50; 5.25; 3.50 and 0.00 mg/kg) and thereafter followed up for 90 additional days. Following this period of observation, each male rat was submitted to a fertility test with two virgin females. Male were then sacrificed and organs collected while females were followed up till delivery. Results: The weights of the testis and epididymis were lower (P<0.05) in rats treated with 10.50 mg/kg CE dose compared to controls. A decrease in the number of sperm per cauda epididymis was recorded in rat given the highest dose of CE with respect to the control value. The sperm motility was lower (P<0.05) in all CE-treated groups compared to the controls. Severe histological abnormalities were observed in testes of treated rats. The males exposed to the highest dose of CE did not produce any offspring. Conclusion: The effects of CE on reproductive system were persistent 90 days after the end of exposure