Antioxidant role of folic acid against reproductive toxicity of cyhalothrin in male mice

Hussein H.K*^{1, 2}, Elnaggar M.H^{1, 3} and Al-Zahrani N.K¹

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

²Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

³Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.

*Corresponding  Author  E-mail: ahssan555@yahoo.com

Accepted 15^th May, 2012

The acute toxicity (LD50) of insecticide Cyhalothrin and its effects on male reproduction in rats were carried out. Cyhalothrin was given orally to male rats daily for 30 successive days at two doses (0.1 and 1.0 mg kg_1 b.wt., corresponding to 1/100 and 1/10 LD50) alone and in combination with folic acid (1.1 mg kg_1 b.wt., corresponding to acceptable daily intake, ADI). Fertility index, weight of sexual organs, and histopathology of testes were the parameters used to evaluate the reproductive efficiency of treated rats. The reversibility of Cyhalothrin effects was also studied after 30 days post-administration. The oral LD50 of Cyhalothrin was 20.0 mg kg_1 b.wt. in male rats. Cyhalothrin significantly decreased the fertility index and weight of testes. It induced testicular lesions characterized by moderate to severe degenerative changes of seminiferous tubules and incomplete arrest of spermatogenesis. These toxic effects were not persistent (reversible). Co-administration of folic acid with Cyhalothrin decreased its reproductive toxicity. A great attention should be taken during field application of Cyhalothrin to avoid its deleterious effects in farm animals and occupationally exposed humans.

Keywords: Antioxidants, Cyhalothrin, Reproductive efficiency, Folic acid, Mice