ENDOSULFAN INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN TESTES OF MICE

A. Nath, Aseem Kumar Anshu*, Priyanka, Chandan Kumar Singh, Sachidananda Behera, J. K. Singh

ABSTRACT

Endosulfan is potent toxicogen and carcinogen. It is widely used in agriculture and detected in soil, surface water, and underground water, fruits, vegetables and milk. A number of studies have been performed to investigate the effect of endosulfan on reproductive system. Exposure to endosulfan leads to degeneration of spermatogenesis, lower testosterone level and induce oxidative stress. Swisss albino male mice were grouped as control and endosulfan treated for 4, 8, 12 weeks at animal house of S S Hospital and Research Institute, Patna. Sperm count was performed by routine process, testosterone level was determined by ELISA kit method, and lipid peroxidation was done by measuring MDA level in blood serum. Decrease in testicular weight, sperm count, testosterone level and increase in MDA level were observed when compared with control upon administration of endosulfan at the rate of 3 mg/kg/body weight with significance of (p-value<0.0001). The effect of endosufan on reproductive system is deleterious and insidious. Endosulfan has been used in agriculture widely and enters human body system through food chain to cause toxicity. Hence more studies and investigations are warranted in this field to land to unravel the mechanism by which endosulfan impairs the reproductive system.

Keywords: Endosulfan, toxicogen, carcinogen.