Effect of Chlorpyrifos Insecticide on Reproductive System of Adult male Rats and Male Offsprings of Exposed Mothers During Pregnancy and Lactation

Abstract

Pesticides, or insecticides are chemicals which are used for the

control of crop pests and human disease vectors. Man and animals are indirectly exposed to these chemicals through air, food and water. Several • pesticides have been reported to produce gonadal toxicity either directly by interfering with reproductive function or indirectly by influencing

hormonal regulation among these are the persistent and bioaccumulative organophosphrous pesticides chlorpyrifos (CPF). It was used for decades to control pests in agriculture and home. It was recognized to induce irreversible inhibition of acetylcholinesterase • (AchE) in nerve and muscle tissue in human and experimental animals. I Because of the wide spread use of CPF in Egypt, it was chosen to be studied. More interest has been focused on it due to the possibility of its reproductive disturbance effect during late pregnancy and lactation, which

may induce hazards to male offsprings which could be detectable at

adulthood.

The present study shows the effect of CPF on serum testosterone concentration, the activities of testicular enzyme markers of spermatogenesis [gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH)] and its histopathological effect on the testes.

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