Colibri® insecticide induces male reproductive toxicity: alleviating effects of Lannea acida (Anacardiaceae) in rats

Abstract

Background: Imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, has been associated to severe reproductive toxicity in mammals. Although some preventive measures have been reported, curative strategies are yet to be explored. The present study was designed to investigate the alleviating effects of Lannea acida on the reproductive toxicity of colibri®, a commercial formulation of imidacloprid, in adult male rats. Materials and methods: Seventy rats were orally administered with colibri® (22.5 mg/kg, 10 mL/kg) for 14 days and treated for other 14 or 28 days with either aqueous or methanol extracts of L. acida (170 or 340 mg/kg). Control animals were similarly treated with clomiphene citrate or vitamin E. Sexual organ weights, spermatozoa characteristics, sexual hormones, stress markers and testis histology were evaluated at the end of each treatment period. Results: Colibri® exposition induced reproductive toxicity marked by a decrease in sex organ weights, spermatozoa count, motility and viability. Colibri® also decreased testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone concentrations and increased testicular oxidative stress. Spermatozoa morphology and testis histology were also severely altered. Similar to clomiphene citrate and vitamin E, treatment with L. acida extracts significantly (p ≤ 0.05-0.001) reversed the above-mentioned damages, especially after 28 days of treatment with aqueous (340 mg/kg) and methanol (170 mg/kg) extracts. Conclusion: Present results indicate that L. acida exerts curative effects against colibri®-induced male reproductive toxicity. These results justify the use of this plant as fertility enhancer and suggest that it could be an alternative in the management of pesticide-derived male infertility.

Effects of Sub-Chronic Exposure to Imidacloprid on Reproductive Organs of Adult Male Rats: Antioxidant State, DNA Damage, and Levels of Essential Elements

“…The weight of the epididymis did not differ significantly between groups, but in accordance with the results for the animal weight gain, the absolute weight of the testis was significantly lower in rats treated with the highest dose of imidacloprid compared to the negative control group and rats treated with the lowest dose of imidacloprid. Sub-chronic exposure of adult male Wistar rats to the ten-times higher dose (22.5 mg/kg b. w./day) also resulted in a significant decrease in weight gain, decrease in the relative and absolute weight of the testis, and relative weight of the epididymis compared to the controls [ 14 , 25 ]. The authors stated that the lower testicular and epididymal weight is a direct consequence of the decrease in plasma testosterone and total protein content, considering that these organs require a continuous androgenic stimulation for their normal growth and functions [ 6 ].…”

“…The increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes indicates that exposure to imidacloprid caused moderate toxicity in the epididymis, while the absence of the effect of imidacloprid on the measured parameters in the testis can be attributed to the very low doses applied in this study. A recent study by Tetsatsi et al [ 25 ] reported a significant increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and total peroxidases in the testes of adult male rats after 14 days of treatment with a commercial formulation of imidacloprid (Colibri ® ) at a dose of 22.5 mg/kg b. w./day. However, results of several other studies reported a decrease in the concentration of GSH and the activity of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD, GPx and GST) in the testes of rats exposed to different doses of imidacloprid [ 6 , 7 , 12 , 14 , 24 ].…”

“…The majority of studies of imidacloprid toxicity in rats were conducted at doses higher than 16 mg/kg b. w. [ 12 , 24 , 25 ]. The exposure of rats to higher doses of imidacloprid (>16 mg/kg b. w.) resulted in elevated lipid peroxidation and lower levels of glutathione (GSH) and antioxidant enzymes in testicular tissue, confirming oxidative stress as the mechanism of imidacloprid’s reproductive toxicity [ 12 , 24 ].…”

The edible plant Amaranthus hybridus (Amaranthaceae) prevents the biochemical, histopathological and fertility impairments in colibri®-treated female rats

“…Colibri® (Sun Valley Hall Limited-Hong Kong), a commercial formulation of IMI (30 g/l), is a widely used insecticide because of its broad spectrum of action. One liter of this compound (Bach N° SVH161104) was purchased from the Dschang market and the working solution prepared in distilled water as described by [19] . Assay kits for estradiol, progesterone, LH and FSH (TAIWAN Mouse/Rat ELISA) were used according to the manufacturer’s instructions.…”

Endocrine Disruptors and Prostate Cancer

“…Moreover, IMI has also been demonstrated be very toxic in human prostate epithelial cells and able to induce apoptotic effects as well as oxidative stress [122]. In in vivo study, the IMI exposure has been demonstrated to induce weight changes in absolute and relative prostate weights such that it could always be associated with a decrease in T [123,124]. Therefore, IMI has been shown to be associated with EDs [105].…”