The ameliorating effect of oral ascorbic acid (AA) was evaluated against changes in sperm parameters in New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits treated with endosulfan. Rabbits (6 to 8 months old) were divided into four groups of six animals each. Rabbits in TRT-I served as control and received corn oil by oral gavage for 6 weeks. Rabbits in TRT-II received endosulfan (1 mg/kg bw per day) in corn oil. TRT-III group received oral corn oil daily and ascorbic acid (AA; 20 mg/kg bw) every other day for 6 weeks. TRT-IV group received the same amounts of endosulfan and AA. Endosulfan alone significantly reduced the sperm count and motility and increased the presence of sperm with morphologic problems. AA treatment showed significant amelioration when coupled with endosulfan. Ameliorations were up to control levels in all cases except for sperm motility. The data suggested that AA has beneficial influences in neutralizing the toxic effects of endosulfan in the spermatologic parameters of NZW males.

<p>The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) grows naturally in the Mediterranean region. The empiric use of carob cures for their aphrodisiac properties is very common in Turkey. Thus, the experiment was conducted to determine the effects of carob bean extracts on some reproductive parameters in male New Zealand White rabbits. During the adaptation period (stage 1), 6-8 mo old rabbits were trained in semen collection for 30 d. At the beginning of the treatment period (stage 2), rabbits were assigned randomly to 2 groups of 8 animals each. For a period of 49 d (1 spermatogenesis duration), one group was treated with a daily oral dose (10 mL) of carob extract and the other group received the corresponding volume of tap water. Semen was collected weekly. Semen samples taken at week 1 and 7 were analysed separately. At the beginning of stage 2, no differences were observed in the volume and pH of the ejaculate, sperm concentration, percentage of motility, percentage of live spermatozoa, percentage of sperm plasma membrane integrity, plasma concentration of testosterone, and seminal plasma protein levels between the control and carob extract treated animals. Similarly, at the end of stage 2, there were no differences in the volume and pH of the ejaculate, motility percentage, the percentage of live spermatozoa, percentage of sperm plasma membrane integrity, and the seminal plasma protein levels between the control and the carob extract treated animals. However, sperm concentration (P&lt;0.05), plasma concentration of testosterone (P&lt;0.05), and percentage of change in spermatozoa concentration (P&lt;0.02) between groups were affected at the end of stage 2. The data suggested that the use of carob cures prepared by boiling carob fruit could have beneficial influences on sperm concentration in rabbits.</p>

The present study was conducted using 6 to 8 month old New Zealand white male rabbits (nine rabbits per treatment group). Daily gavages of 3, 1.5, 0.75, or 0 mg endosulfan/kg BW in corn oil resulted in the death of five (55%), three (33%), zero (0%), and zero (0%) rabbits, respectively, in 30 days. All rabbits were monitored for any observable toxic symptoms throughout the experimental period (30 d) and they also were weighed weekly to monitor body weight gain. All deaths occurred within the first 3 weeks and nervous symptoms were observed only for a few minutes before death. Alterations recorded in hematological parameters within the groups (hemoglobin, packed cell volume, and total erythrocyte count) were due to endosulfan exposure. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were significantly elevated in the 3 mg/kg dose group. Gross post-mortem and histopathological changes in various organs (lung, liver, kidney, and testes) of rabbits treated with endosulfan were observed with typical organochlorine dose-dependent signs of toxicity. Although some animals appeared to adjust to relatively high daily doses of endosulfan for 30 days, biochemical and histological evidence indicated varied liver and kidney damage relative to dosage administered to these animals. The current subacute (30 day) study suggested a NOAEL of 0.75 mg endosulfan/kg in New Zealand white rabbits.

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The ameliorating effects of punicalagin (PUN) were evaluated against some reproductive parameters in male New Zealand White rabbits treated with bisphenol A (BPA). Rabbits (n = 24) were adapted to laboratory conditions for 2 weeks before the experiment. After adaptation, rabbits were randomly assigned into 4 groups. The control group received tap water and corn oil. Rabbits in BPA and PUN groups received 20 mg/kg BPA in corn oil + tap water, and 2 mg/kg PUN in tap water + corn oil, respectively. Rabbits in the last group received the same amounts of BPA and PUN. All treatments were administered by daily oral gavages for 9 weeks. On d 63 of the experiment, semen and blood samples were collected. Blood samples were used for the evaluation of some hormones. After blood collection, rabbits were euthanized and the right testis was stored at –80°C. At the end of the experiment, inhibin, FSH, LH, FSH/LH ratio, FSH/inhibin ratio, and estrogen levels were similar among the groups. However, testosterone levels in serum, and superoxide dismutase, catalase, and malondialdehyde levels in testis tissues were negatively affected by BPA. Moreover, sperm concentrations and the percent of progressive motility significantly declined in BPA treated rabbits. PUN treatment significantly improved these parameters up to control levels when coupled with BPA. The results indicated that PUN has ameliorating effects in neutralizing the possible toxic effects of BPA in male rabbits.