Pathological studies on adverse effects of the environmental toxicant bisphenol A on the male rabbits and the protective role of vitamin C

Abstract EN

This study was carried out on 15 mature male New Zealand rabbits divided into three groups (five rabbits / group).

Group I, kept as control and daily intubated with control vehicle (olive oil).

Group II, daily intubated with bisphenol A (dissolved in olive oil) at a dose level of 100 mg/kg body weight (minimal toxic dose).

Group III, daily intubated with bisphenol A (dissolved in olive oil) at a dose level of 100 mg/kg body weight and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) (dissolved in distilled water) at a dose level of 20 mg/kg body weight for 56 days (8 weeks) equivalent to one spermatogenic cycle in rabbits.

One rabbit was sacrificed every two weeks from three groups (i.e.

2, 4& 6 weeks), while two rabbits were sacrificed in the 8th week to get blood and histopathological samples.

Semen analysis applied weekly for each male rabbit.

Histopathological examination revealed that, the testes and epididymis showed mild to severe degrees of degeneration by increasing days of experiment.

Moreover, congestion and oedema of interstitial tissues of testis and hyperplasia of lining epithelium of epididymal tubules were noticed.

These histopathological changes were ameliorated in the rabbits treated with bisphenol A plus vitamin C group.

Other parenchymatous organs as kidneys, liver and lungs showed mild degeneration in intoxicated group and ameliorated in the rabbits treated with bisphenol A plus vitamin C.

Concerned semen analysis, there was significant decrease in the sperm count, live / dead ratio and percentage of individual sperm motility.

On the other hand, there was significant increase in the total sperm abnormalities in the bisphenol A treated group rather than the other two groups.

Testosterone hormone levels were 7.96±0.12, 1.72±0.13 and 7.19±0.47 ng/ml in control, bisphenol A and bisphenol A plus vitamin C groups, respectively.

Statistically, there was a significant (P<0.05) reduction in testosterone concentration in the bisphenol A treated group compared with the bisphenol A plus vitamin C and highly reduction (P<0.01) compared with the control group.