ABSTRACT
Acute and sub-acute toxic effects of a novel phosphorothionate coded as RPR-II on testis of albino rats were studied. In acute study rats received a single dose of 12.3 mg/kg of RPR-II and sacrificed after 24 hr. For sub-acute study 0.58 mg/kg/day was administered orally to rats for 10 and 21 days. Acute exposure of rats to RPR-II brought no change either in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) or in the structure of testis or in the serum levels of testosterone. Testis glutathione (GSH) level and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was significantly decreased whereas, acid phosphatase (AcP) levels increased significantly at 24 hr post-treatment. On 7th day (withdrawal period) after the cessation of the treatment the GSH, GST, AcP, and AkP levels reached to near control. The sub-acute study revealed a significant decrease in GSI on 10th and 21st day of the treatment. In contrast, a time-dependent and significant increased in GSH level and GST activity was observed on 100th and 21st day of post-treatment, except GSH level on 10th day, which was declined. Due to RPR-II treatment the testis AcP and alkaline phosphatase (AkP) levels were significant at both 10th and 21st day of medication but AcP levels were increased whereas AkP levels decreased. The histopathological studies on day 10th showed considerable loss of spermatozoids in testis and at 21st day complete derangement of cellular organization was observed. Testosterone levels decreased significantly on 10th day and remained significantly low at 21st day. However, withdrawal studies showed a recovery in testis of rat treated with RPR-II. GST, GSH, GSI, AcP and AkP values recovered, testosterone levels were also well recovered but recovery in testis structure remained at a low profile. The present study suggests that RPR-II may cause testicular toxicity in rats affecting the normal functioning of testis and it also gave some new information in withdrawal studies.