There is compelling evidence that a hypercaloric, high-fructose diet can cause metabolic syndrome (MetS) and a whole range of other metabolic changes. In the context of androgen deficiency, MetS in boys merits special attention, but the effects of fructose-rich diet in youth on future male reproductive function are still poorly evidenced. The aim of this study was to address this issue and analyse the effects of high-fructose intake starting from weaning to puberty (postnatal day 23 up to 83) on the reproductive function of male rats. For this purpose juvenile male Wistar rats were divided in two groups: control and the group receiving 10 % fructose solution instead of drinking water. Reproductive function was evaluated in terms of fertility, sperm count, testes/epididymis morphology, and serum sex hormones. The fructose-treated group showed a decrease in testosterone and twofold increase in luteinising and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in the serum. This was accompanied with lower testis/epididymis weights, sperm count, and changed testis/epididymis morphology. Their fertility remained unchanged, but the fertility of females mating with these males diminished. In addition, pre-implantation and post-implantation embryonic death rate rose in these females. Our results have confirmed that high fructose consumption from early age until puberty can impair the reproductive function of male rats, and call for further animal and epidemiological investigation.

There was studied the morphofunctional state of the visceral white adipose tissue of rats with obesity and after introduction of silver salt solution and silver nanoparticles solution. In particular, we analyzed the morphofunctional changes in the visceral white adipose tissue of rats on a high-calorie diet, as well as the effects of the silver nitrate solution and the silver nanoparticles solution at a dose of 1 mg / 1 kg body weight and 0.5 mg / 1 kg body weight on the morphofunctional state of the visceral white adipose tissue of rats on a high-calorie diet. There were established morphofunctional changes in cells of the rats white adipose tissue on the high-calorie diet and with the introduction of silver preparations in different concentrations. The condition of the adipose tissue was evaluated on the basis of the following parameters: the relative mass of the visceral fat, the cross-sectional area of adipocytes, the relative number of adipocytes per unit area. There were compared effects of administration to animals with obesity of the silver nitrate solution at a dose of 1 mg / 1 kg body weight and 0.5 mg / 1 kg body weight, as well as a of the silver nanoparticles solution at a dose 1 mg / 1 kg body weight and 0.5 mg / 1 kg of body weight. All the above silver preparations reduced the manifestations of obesity in animals which were maintained in a high-calorie diet. In addition to the form of the silver preparation (silver nitrate solution or silver nanoparticle solution), its concentration is important. The highest efficiency was shown after the administration of the silver nanoparticles solution at a dose 0.5 mg / 1 kg of body weight. In rats of this experimental group, the studied parameters not only reached the control values, but they also exceeded them, which indicates expressed influence of the drug on the obesity manifestations. In addition, the rats showed signs of fat depletion.

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Comparative study of embryo-fetal death in females fertilized by males with metabolic syndrome, induced in adult or juvenile age has shown that the offspring of adult rats did not have significant abnormalities in embrio- and fetogenesis. At the same time it has been revealed 4% postimplantation death of offspring in male rats with metabolic syndrome induced in the juvenile age. The pre-implantation loss in this group was 6 folds higher than in control. Accordingly, the total mortality of the offspring rose 2.4 times in comparison with control.