Influência da suplementação com ácido ascórbico e zinco na morfologia testicular de ratos Wistar expostos ao arsenito de sódio
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Data
2016-03-30
Autores
Altoé, Luciana Schulthais
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Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo
Resumo
Several studies has shown that exposure to heavy metal arsenic, an environmental contaminant, may result in toxic effects, acute or chronic, causing different disorders, including potentially leading to damage to male fertility. Substances with potential protective action has been investigated. These include zinc and vitamin C, substances with known antioxidant action, are cofactors of cell division and playing an important role in reproduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate testicular function in rats exposed to arsenic in the form of sodium arsenite, and the possible protective role of co-administration of zinc or vitamin C by seminal, biometric and morphological (morphometry and stereology) analysis of the testis. Male Wistar rats (60 days old) were divided into six groups of six animals each: (1) control (distilled water), (2) sodium arsenite (5 mg/kg), (3) vitamin C (100 mg/kg) (4) zinc chloride (20 mg/kg), (5) sodium arsenite and vitamin C and (6) sodium arsenite and zinc chloride. The dosages were administered daily by gavage for 60 days. At the end of the treatment period, all animals were sacrificed and testis and accessory organs were removed and weighed. Testis fragments were processed for analysis by light microscopy and one centimeter of the deferens duct was removed for seminal analysis. There were no significant changes in the biometrics in any groups, but changes in the Leydig cells and in the seminiferous tubules were showed. Arsenic reduces the tubular diameter and the germinal epithelium height, resulting in a lower number of spermatids per testicle gram. Vitamin C and zinc were able to protect the Leydig cells and the proportion of normal spermatozoa of arsenic effects. It can be concluded that chronic exposure to sodium arsenite alter the spermatogenic process, reducing the total number of normal sperm, which can lead reduce fertility in male rats, and that coadministration of vitamin C or zinc although not able to neutralize the numerical damage can increase the proportion of normal spermatozoa.
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Male reproductive system , Antioxidant , Morphometry , Heavy metal , Morfometria , Sistema reprodutor masculino , Ação antioxidante