Abstract
There are numerous endocrine disrupting chemicals across the globe among which is the contentious organophosphate called glyphosate. The aim was to analyze the effects of glyphosate on Wistar rat’s pituitary gland and pituitary-gonadal axis. Specific objectives determined male reproductive hormones of Wistar rats exposed to glyphosate; demonstrated possible endocrine disruptive action of glyphosate on Wistar rats and determined effects of glyphosate on histology of pituitary gland. Fifteen male adult Wistar rats of 200g and above used for the study were randomly assigned into three groups A, B and C of 5 rats in each. Group A (control) gavaged with only distilled water. Group B (low dose) and Group C (high dose) were gavaged with 400mg and 2000mg of glyphosate/kg body weight/day respectively. All the rats were treated for 60 days before sacrificing, collection of blood sample and harvesting of tissue for analysis. Collated data were entered into Statistical Package for Social Scientists (version 21) for t-test and test of significance (p<0.05). Both follicle stimulating hormone and testosterone were significantly decreased in treated rats. The levels of luteinizing hormone, prolactin, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone/oestrogen ratio statistically increased among treated groups. Adenohypophysis in Group B rats illustrated cellular hyperplasia with mitotic bodies while those of Group C demonstrated fewer cells that are widely separated by connective tissue. This study established glyphosate as an endocrine disrupting chemical. Histological slides of the pituitary gland of treated rats showed some level of abnormality. High-resolute imaging techniques were suggested for better imaging.
Highlights
Different chemicals are used in day-to-day activities of humans across the globe
The levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone/oestrogen ratio increased among the treatment groups
Testosterone which is a drive to spermatogenesis and secondary sexual development might have been metabolized peripherally by glyphosate or reduced its production from the Leydig cells (LC) thereby calling for increase in LH to further stimulate the LC for the body to meet up with the needed testosterone
Summary
Different chemicals are used in day-to-day activities of humans across the globe. The use is either for positive or negative effects and in the process contamination can occur. Of note is Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) which are compounds that alter the normal functioning of the endocrine system of both animals and humans.[1] EDC first coined in 1993 when researchers were looking into certain chemicals that mimicked endogenous hormones altering the homeostasis of organ-systems.[2] The USA forged ahead and in 1998 established Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP) to evaluate chemicals having deleterious effects on endocrine homeostasis. Efforts were made in Europe to identify individual constituents of chemical packages in order to evaluate their toxic effects. EDCs can either be natural (like phytoestrogens) or synthetic/artificial. Among the artificial ones are chemicals used in food, pharmaceutical, textile, wooden, plastic, oil and gas industries.
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