Effect of bisphenol A and co-administration of bisphenol Aand vitamin C on epididymis of adult rats:A histological and biochemical study

摘要

Aim: To study the effect of bisphenol A on the epididymis and epididymal sperm of rats and the possible amelioration action of co-administration with vitamin C. Methods: Male Wistar rats were orally administered bisphenol A (0.2μg·kg^-1,2μg·kg^-1·day^-1 and 20μg.kg^-l.day^-1）and 0.2μg ，2μg and 20μg bisphenol A + 40 mg vitamin C·kg^-1·day^-1 for 60 days. On day 61, rats were killed with anesthetic ether and sperm collected from epididymis were used for assessment of sperm count, motility and viability and biochemical studies. A 1% homogenate of epididymis was prepared and used for biochemical estimations. Caput, corpus and cauda epididymis were fixed in Bouin's fixative for histological studies. Results: Administration of bisphenol A caused a reduction in the epididymal sperm motility and count and the sperm viability remained unchanged. The activities of superoxide dismutase and glu-tathione peroxidase decreased, while the levels of lipid peroxidation increased in epididymal sperm and epididymis atall doses. Co-administration with vitamin C reversed the effect of bisphenol A-induced oxidative stress in epididymal sperm and epididymis. A complete degeneration of epididymal epithelium in caput, corpus and canda regions with reduction in the number of sperms were observed at all doses of bisphenol A-treated rats. Conclusion: Bisphenol A induced oxidative stress in epididymis and caused degeneration of the epididymal epithelium of rats. Co-administra-tion with vitamin C had a protective effect against the bisphenol A-induced toxicity in epididymal sperm and epididymis.( Asian J Androl 2003 Sep. 5: 203-208)