Morphological alterations in mouse testis by a single dose of malathion

Abstract

Malathion® is a widely used organophosphorate agropesticide. In spite of its low toxicity for mammalian cells, it provokes cytogenetic and genotoxic damage both in vivo and in vitro. The effect of Malathion was analyzed in CF-1 young adult male mice. Commercial Malathion (96.6% purity) was injected intraperitoneally in a single dose (250 mg/kg body weight corresponding to 1/12 LD50). Four, 14, 18, and 26 days after injection animals were sacrificed to study epididymal sperm (count and morphology), testicular histology (percentage of depleted seminiferous tubules), and ultrastructural alterations in the germinal epithelium. The effect of Malathion on different germinal cell populations was studied. Teratozoospermia was induced by Malathion at all times studied. Spermatozoa midpiece and flagella were the most affected and at day 18 we observed less alterations of the head. The sperm count at different time intervals was significatively increased compared to controls and there was a paral