RESUMO
Methamidophos (MET) is a pesticide that has toxic properties, including effects on fertility. This study aimed to assess the joint action of treatment time and exposure to methamidophos on the male reproductive system. MET was orally administered to adult male Swiss mice at a dose of 0.004 mg.kg-1 for 15 and 50 consecutive days. The following parameters were evaluated: weight of reproductive organs, spermatogenesis, sperm and Sertoli cell count, daily sperm production and sperm transit time. Short-term exposure to methamidophos induced a decrease in epididymal weight. The frequency of stages V-VI of spermatogenesis increased and the frequency of stage IX decreased. In the epididymis, sperm transit time (caput/corpus) was reduced and the relative sperm number (cauda) increased. Long-term exposure induced an increase in the frequencies of stages I-IV and V-VI and decreased the stages VII-VIII and IX. The number of Sertoli cells with evident nucleoli was reduced in both exposures. These results confirm the reproductive toxicity of MET.
Assuntos
Inseticidas/administração & dosagem , Compostos Organotiofosforados/administração & dosagem , Espermatogênese/efeitos dos fármacos , Espermatozoides/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Epididimo/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Camundongos , Tamanho do Órgão/efeitos dos fármacos , Reprodução/efeitos dos fármacos , Células de Sertoli/efeitos dos fármacos , Contagem de Espermatozoides , Testículo/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Silymarin is a phytotherapeutic agent derived from the species Silybum marianum (Asteraceae), commonly is known as milk thistle, and traditionally used as a hepatoprotective; however, recent studies have proposed its use in order to promote lactogenesis, but there are few reports of its effects on the development of offspring. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of silymarin treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding on the sensory-somatic-motor development and adult behavior of F1-generation Swiss mice. The pregnant females of the parental generation were distributed in four experimental groups and treated orally with doses of 100, 200 or 300â¯mg/kg of silymarin, with a control group receiving vehicle - vegetable oil (VEH), to obtain the F1-generation. At the end of lactation, the parental generation were submitted to euthanasia. Body mass evolution was determined in both generations. The sensory-motor development of the offspring (F1-generation) was evaluated, and one male pup from each litter was followed up for an analysis of adult behavior. In the F1 analysis, no differences between the groups were observed in initial development from the sensory-somatic-motor analysis performed during the 1st to 21st postnatal days. In the behavioral evaluation of adults from the F1 generation, all the groups from dams treated with silymarin in open field (OF) analysis showed a decrease in the time spent in the periphery and an increase in the time spent in the center, but the ambulation observed by the number of quadrant crossed showed no difference. In addition, during OF, the 100 and 200â¯mg/kg groups presented an increase in fecal bolus compared with the VEH group. There was a decrease in immobility time in the forced swimming test in the 300â¯mg/kg group compared to the VEH group. Regarding the memory and learning test, the groups did not differ in their recognition scores. The results of this study using an animal model indicate that treatment with silymarin during pregnancy and breastfeeding does not promote significant morpho-functional changes in the offspring in their initial development and adult behavior, indicating the safety of its use during gestation and lactation.
Assuntos
Comportamento Animal/efeitos dos fármacos , Comportamento Materno/efeitos dos fármacos , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/fisiopatologia , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/psicologia , Silimarina/toxicidade , Animais , Peso Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Lactação , Masculino , Camundongos , Gravidez , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/induzido quimicamenteRESUMO
This study investigated the effects of organophosphate exposure on the male reproductive system of mice submitted to chronic sleep loss condition. Adult Swiss mice were distributed into 4 groups: control; methamidophos (MTP); sleep restriction (SR); and MTP+SR. The dose of methamidophos was 0.002 mgkg(-1)day(-1) (half of the Acceptable Daily Intake). Sleep restriction condition was 21 h day(-1) during 15 days. In relation to control group, MTP treatment induced a significant reduction of 12% on morphologically normal spermatozoa in both MTP and MTP+SR groups. In addition, the absolute and relative weights of the seminal vesicles were decreased (MTP, -34%; MTP+SR, -45%). Epididymal fat was reduced in SR groups (SR, -64%; MTP+SR, -58%). Plasma testosterone levels were significantly decreased in MTP and SR groups, and progesterone levels were increased 8 times in MTP+SR in comparison with the control group. The corticosterone levels were unaffected by MTP or SR conditions. Thus, low dose MTP exposure resulted in deleterious effects on the male reproductive system. Sleep loss associated with MTP potentiated the effect on steroidogenesis, mainly in terms of progesterone levels.