Effect of carbosulfan pesticide and selenium on some semen characteristicsand serum testosterone in male rabbits

This study was undertaken to investigate the hazardous effects of carbosulf un pesticide on the level of serum testosterone and on semen quality in mal e New Zealand rabbits, and to determine whether selenium can alleviate thes e effects when given to the treated animals. Carbosulfan was given orally t o animals in two doses (1/100 LD50 and 1/10 LD50 per kg body weight) weekly , while selenium (0.3 mg per kg body weight) was given alone or in combinat ion with carbosulfan. The experiment was divided into three periods of 6 we eks each as follows: preliminary, treatment and recovery. Semen and blood s amples were collected weekly and biweekly throughout experiment, respective ly. Semen analyses indicated significant decreases in ejaculate volume, spe rm concentration, total sperm output, sperm motility and fructose content. This was associated with a significant decline in the level of serum testos terone in the treated animals. Meanwhile pesticide treatment caused increas es in the percentages of abnormal and dead spermatozoa, sperm without acros omes and methylene-blue reduction time. Selenium combined with carbosulfan reduced the detrimental effects of the pesticide in most of the measured pa rameters.