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Abstract
128 Abstract The present study was performed on albino rats to evaluate the teratogenic effect of the fungicide previcur N and to assess its effects on male reproduction. The oral LD50 of previcur N was firstly determined to be 5035 mg/kg body weight Pregnant females were administered the fungicide orally at a dose equivalent to 1/10th LD50 on gestation days 6-15. Treated dams showed reductions in maternal and fetal body weights, total number of uterine implants and number of living fetuses, while the numbers of dead fetuses and resorptions elevated. Placentae revealed decrease in weight with massive necrosis. Morphologically, fetuses revealed dwarfism, sc hemorrhage, generalized edema, deformed head, exophthalmia and missing or shorter tail. The incidence of dwarfism and sc hemorrhage was found to be significantly different from control. Visceral examination revealed an increase in the incidence of malformation in the brain, although it was statistically non-significant. Anophthalmia and microphthalmia were observed. Other malformations included lung hypoplasia, heart hypertrophy, intrathoracic hemorrhage and unilateral or bilateral dilatation of renal pelvis. The most frequent skeletal abnormalities recorded included incomplete ossification of skull, reduction in the number of sternebrae, wavy ribs and absence of phalanges Male rats were given previcur N orally at a dose equivalent to 1/10th LD50 for 60 days. Significant reductions in body, testis, epididymis and sex glands weights were recorded. Progressive motility and viability were significantly reduced while abnormalities in sperm head and tail were significantly elevated. The level of serum testosterone was significantly decreased. Histopathological examination revealed depletion of testicular germinal epithelium, intertubular fibrosis with necrosis in lining epithelium of epididymis, hyperplasia in prostatic acini and seminal vesicle basement membrane. The pituitary gland revealed necrosis and vacuolation.