Effect of endoxan [cyclophosphamide] on the seminiferous tubules of the testis of adult albino rat: ultrastructural study

ABSTRACT

One of the major health problems is the wide incidence of cancerous diseases as a result of air, water and food pollution. Endoxan is a widely used anti-cancer immunosuppressive drug that affects' fertility in men. The aim of the present work was to study the side effects of endoxan on the testis. Ten adult white male rats were divided into two groups, the first group [consisted of 4 rats] was given normal saline and used as controls. The second group [consisted of 6 rats] was treated with 100mg/kg/day endoxan intraperitoneally for one week. The rats were sacrificed and prepared for electron microscopic examination. The treated testis showed irregular basement membrane either in thickness or in its outline. The cytoplasm of Sertoli cells showed lysosomes and vacuoles. The spermatogenic cells revealed vacuoles in its cytoplasm. Its mitochondria became swollen and lost their cristae and were arranged peripherally near the cytoplasmic membrane. Degeneration of chromatin was detected. The spermatid revealed abnormalities in the fonn of irregular acrosomal vesicles, appearance of vacuoles in its head, in addition to the presence of abnormal heads