Ahslract: Weanling male albino rats were fed 100, 750 and 1500 p.p.m. oftechnical HCH for90days. There was marked testicular atrophy with reduced tubule size and spermatogenetic arrest at 1500 p.p.m. Histochemically, there was accumulation of cholesterol-positive lipids in the Sertoli cells and the Leydig cells of the atrophied testis and biochemical estimation revealed significant increase of total lipid and cholesterol contents. Activities of As 3 0 hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (A5 3 0 HSDH), 17 p hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase( I7 HSDH)and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) in the interstitial cells were markedly decreased suggesting steroidogenic inhibition in the Leydig cells of the atrophied testis due to HCH feeding.

The algae Scenedesmus acutus and Spirulina platensis have been considered for use as a supplementary protein in feed and food. This Institute has developed the technology of production and utilization of such algae. It is essential to demonstrate their safety in view of their public health aspects, the interest of the producers and image of these new sources of foods. Both these algae, when in pure form and administered to rats orally up to the dosage of 800 mg/kg of body weight, did not exert any toxic action. No alterations were found in either body or organ weights in the treated animals. The vital organs showed normal histology. Application of both algae onto the skin of albino rats, up to 2000 mg/kg of body weight, did not elicit any skin allergy. All the animals were normal.

Acute oral toxicity of the copper fungicides, copper sulphate and copper oxychloride, were studied in male Gallus domesticus. The median lethal dose for copper sulphate and copper oxychloride determined were 693 and 1263 mg/kg body weight, respectively. Severe diarrhea and delayed mortality (3 to 6 days) was characteristic of copper oxychloride. Liver weights were nearly doubled in birds fed copper oxychloride and marked dose-dependent testicular atrophy was noticed in both copper sulphate and copper oxychloride fed birds. Mild to severe spermatogenetic arrest concomitant with testicular atrophy was observed. Histochemically, the interstitial (Leydig) cells and seminiferous tubules showed intense accumulation of cholesterol-positive lipids. The degree of lipophilia appeared to be directly proportional to the extent of spermatogenetic arrest, and these results are suggestive of steroidogenic inhibition in the Leydig cells of the atrophied testis.

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