Histological effect of methomyl on rat brain and testis

Abstract

Methomyl is a highly toxic carbamate insecticide and is used on a wide variety of crops. Prolonged exposure to these pesticides is known to cause teratogenic effect and decreased fertility in experimental animals. For this purpose, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of methomyl on the histological structure of brain and testes of male rats. Twenty four adult rats weighing about (250 – 300) gm and (8-10) weeks of age were used in this study, divided into four groups, six rats per group, first group serves as a control and three other groups were administered methomyl orally at three different doses (0.5 mg/kg B.W., 1 mg/kg B.W. and 2 mg/kg B.W.). At the end of the experiment period, the rats anesthetized and sections from brain and testes were prepared to investigate the histological effects of this insecticide. Various degrees of histological change in the structure of the brain and testes were observed in comparison with the control group. This alteration included degeneration of the nerve cells in the cerebrum and abnormal purkinje cells in the cerebellum with different degrees of valuation were seen, also the section from the seminiferous tubules of methomyl treated rats showed a reduction in the population of mature sperm cells, wider luminal diameter and decrease in leydig cells number in the interstitial spaces. These effects could impair the fertility potential of male