L-ascorbic acid ameliorates postnatal endosulfan induced testicular damage in rats

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of L-ascorbic acid on postnatal exposure of endosulfan induced testis damage in the rat. Four groups of seven day old male Wistar rats were treated with 3, 6, 9 and 12 mg/kg endosulfan orally (10 pups/group), from postnatal day 7 to 60 at intervals of 24 h. For 2 more groups (n = 10/group), endosulfan (9 mg/kg and 12 mg/kg) was administered along with L-ascorbic acid (20 mg/kg). The sperm morphology, sperm count and sperm motility was analyzed in all the groups on postnatal day 70. Endosulfan significantly affected the testicular function enhancing the incidence of abnormal spermatozoa, decreasing the sperm count and sperm motility in a dose-dependent manner. Abnormalities were of both head and tail and increase in their frequency was more than two-fold of the control value. Sperm count abruptly decreased in 12 mg/kg group and sperm motility decreased up to 50% of the control value. L-ascorbic acid has nullified the toxic effects of the pesticide significantly, but not to the control level. Endosulfan induces the testicular damage following postnatal exposure and L-ascorbic acid prevents the adverse effects considerably in the rat.