TESTICULAR TOXICITY OF THIRAM IN RAT - MORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL EVALUATIONS

Tetramethylthiuram disulphide (Thiram), a dithiocarbamate fungicide wa s administered to male rats through gavage at dose 5, 10 and 25 mg/kg/ day for 30, 60 and 90 days. A significant increase in relative testes weight (GSI) was observed at dose (25 mg/kg/d) after 90 days exposure, associated with mild pathomorphological changes. This included degene ration of seminiferous tubules with sloughing of germinal cells and ac cumulation of oedamatous fluid in tubular lumen. The activity of testi cular enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatas e (ALP), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) were increased si gnificantly in dose dependent manner. The activities of succinate dehy drogenase (SDH) and acid phosphatase (ACP) decreased significantly whi le serum cholesterol and testicular free sialic acid were increased at all dose levels. The alterations in the activity of testicular enzyme s associated with marked increase in GSI and pathomorphological change s suggest that thiram induces testicular dysfunctions in rats.