Antioxidant attenuation of atrazine induced histopathological changes in testicular tissue of goat in vitro

Abstract

During the present investigation the effect of α-tocopherol (100 μmolL-1) in prevention of testicular toxicity induced by atrazine in goat Capra hircus have been analyzed. Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) at dose level 100 μmolL-1 provides attenuation over the histopathological changes generated by pesticide atrazine (100 nmolml-1). Small pieces (approximately 1mm3) of testicular tissue were divided into three groups (one control group + two experimental groups). Experimental group (A) was supplemented with 100 nmolml-1 concentration of atrazine and experimental group (B) was supplemented with 100 nmolml-1 atrazine and 100 μmolL-1 concentrations of vitamin E (α-Tocopherol) and harvesting was carried out after 1, 4 and 8 hrs of exposure. Control was run along with all the experimental groups. In the experimental group (A) treated with atrazine at dose level 100 nmolml-1, revealed histomorphological alterations in the seminiferous tubule. After one hour of exposure duration small vacuoles in cytoplasm of the Sertoli cells and spermatogonia were observed. Chromolysis at pycnosis were also noticed in the spermatogonia and spermatids. In the experimental group (B) exposed with atrazine and simultaneously supplemented with Vitamin E also showed degeneration but it was milder as compared with experimental group treated with atrazine without antioxidant. Atrazine exposure induced a decline in diameter of spermatocytes from 10.51 ± 0.2052 μm in control to 7.915 ± 0.2972, 7.5 ± 0.211 and 7.14 ± 0.225 μm after exposure of 1, 4 and 8 hrs respectively but in case of atrazine supplemented with vitamin E [experimental group (B)], there was less decline in cell diameter that was 8.5 ± 0.1865, 8.1 ± 0.1201 and 7.8 ± 0.2066μm after exposure of 1, 4 and 8 hrs respectively. The result demonstrated that vitamin E delays the degenerative changes induced by atrazine.