INFLUENCE OF PHOXIM ON TESTICULAR AND SEMINAL-VESICLE ORGANS, TESTOSTERONE AND CHOLINESTERASE LEVEL AND ITS TISSUE RESIDUES IN MALE-RATS

The effect of Phoxim (Volaton(R)) at two dosage levels (23 and 46 mg/k g b.wt.) on male reproduction tissues and their residues in rats were studied. The tested doses were given orally to male rats for 60 consec utive days. Sex organs weight analysis, semen picture, testosterone an d cholinestrase enzyme (ChE) levels, histochemistry, histopathological changes and mating trials were the criteria used to evaluate the repr oductive efficiency of the treated rats. There was a dose-related decr ease in the weights of testicles and sperm motility associated with an increase in the percentages of dead and morphologically abnormal sper matozoa of treated rats. A decrease in plasma testosterone levels was observed in the treated groups. Histopathological examination revealed that phoxim caused testicular lesions characterized by moderate to se vere degenerative changes of spermatogonial cells and by partial arres t of spermatogenesis. Plasma, brain and testicular ChE levels were red uced in treated rats. Phoxim and its oxygen analog concentrations were progressively increased by the time of exposure and represented doubl e fold in liver as compared to that in skeletal muscles and testicles. The histochemical examination of testicles of treated rats showed a m arked decreament in the ChE activity in tunica albuginea acid sperms. A decrease in this enzyme was also noticed in liver hepatocytes, granu lar layer of the cerebral cortex and medulla of suprarenal gland.