Protective effect of zinc over lead toxicity on testes

To determine the effects of lead and zinc on testes. Randomized control trial. Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from August 2003 to December 2005. Sixty adult [90 days old] albino rats were obtained from animal house JPMC for the study and divided into 3 groups. Group A received injection normal saline 1 cc intraperitoneally daily for 8 weeks. Group B received lead chloride in a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally daily. Group C received zinc chloride in a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight before half an hour of injection of lead chloride in a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally daily so that to provide pre-treatment. On the day of completion of treatment the animals were sacrificed testes removed and fixed in Bouins fluid. Testes were dehydrated in the ascending strength of alcohol, 5 micro m thick sections were cut and stained with PAS Iron Hematoxylin. Student's t-test was used for statistical analysis with significance at p<0.05. The mean diameter of seminiferous tubule was 291.91 +/- 1.18, 198.53 +/- 1.67 and 288.77 +/- 1.11 micro m in groups A, B and C respectively. Diameter of seminiferous tubules decreased by 31.99% in group B [p<0.001; CI 89.023 to 97.736] as compared group A and while group B comparing with group C, the diameter of seminiferous tubules was decreased by 31.25% [p-value=0.076; CI-94.264 to-86.203]. Mean thickness of germinal epithelium was 96.19 +/- 1.01, 50.69 +/- 1.20 and 94.94 +/- 0.54 micro m in groups A, B and C respectively. Thickness of germinal epithelium decreased by 47.30 in group B [P<0.001; CI 42.503 to 48.496] as compared to group A and while comparing group B with group C, the thickness of germinal epithelium was decreased by 46.61% [p=-44.25; CI-46.704 to-41.787]. Zinc prevented toxic effects of lead on germinal epithelium in the albino rats