Nicotine impact on testis, epididymis and semen pattern in adult male rats

Male reproductive function depends on integrity of seminiferous epithelium as well as integrity of accessory sex organs. Nicotine is the major component of tobacco that is responsible for deleterious effect of cigarette smoking. This study is designed to investigate influence of nicotine administration for variable durations on the structure and function of adult male rat genital system. A total number of 60 adult male three months aged albino rats were used. They were divided into four groups [15 animals each]. First group: the animals were served as control Second group: was treated by nicotine subcutaneously in a dose of 6 mg /kg/day for two weeks. Third group: was treated by nicotine in the same dose for four weeks. Fourth group was treated by nicotine in the same dose for nine weeks. Serum testosterone level of rats was .determined. The sperms were examined for estimation of percent of sperm alive, motility, abnormality, and protoplasmic droplets. The animals were sacrificed. Histological section of testis and epididymis were taken. Serum testosterone level of treated animals is reduced but it did not reach a significant level except after four weeks of treatment. The percentage of both the sperm alive, motility were significantly reduced even after two weeks of treatment with nicotine. Sperm abnormalities and percent of unripe [with protoplasmic droplets] showed significant progressive increase starting after two weeks. The testis shows thickening of the tunica propria and irregular basal lamina. Degeneration of germ cells especially with prolonged duration of exposure was observed. Nicotine consumption, especially with prolonged duration, has deleterious effect on male fertility potential

Scanning electron microscopic study on the effects of oral formaldehyde adminstration on the gastrointestinal track of the adult albino rat

The formaldehyde is the simplest aldehyde. It is an important chemical used widely by industry to manufacture building materials and household products. Everybody can be exposed to small amounts of formaldehyde in air and in some foods. Various dosages of formalin oral administration were used in experimental animals to study its toxicity on the mucosa of different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. A total number of 15 adult male albino rats, two to three months age average and weight between 200 to 250 mg average, at the start of the experiment, were used in the present work. The rats were divided into two groups, control group of 5 animals and experimental one of 10 animals. The experimental group animals received a formaldehyde solution through a gastric tube in a dose of 165 mg/kg/ body weight once daily for consecutive 30 days. The fundic region of the stomach and segments from the jejunum and ileum were extracted, fixed in 5% glutraldehyde and prepared for scanning electron microscopic [examination. The present work revealed indicative changes on the level of scanning electron microscopic findings that observed in the mucosa of the stomach, jejunum and ileum. These findings range from severe damage and ulcer formation in the stomach to mild and moderate toxic effects in the jejunum and ileum including edema, congestion partial destructions in the form of fenestrations and cracks or even complete and partial fragmentations of their villi