Testicular Toxicity following Subacute Exposure of Arsenic and Mancozeb alone and in Combination: Ameliorative Efficacy of Quercetin and Catechin

Mancozeb (MZ) is a contact fungicide having low toxicity in non-target species, but its continuous exposure can be harmful. The aim of the present study was to determine the impact of the toxic interaction between MZ and arsenic on the testicular tissue of rats and to compare the amelioration potential of quercetin and catechin against the induced toxicity. Sixty adult rats were randomly allocated into 10 groups with 6 animals in each. A significant (p<0.05) decline in TAS, TTH, SOD, CAT, GPx, GR and TTH and a rise (p<0.05) in MDA and AOPP-were recorded in testicular tissue of MZ-treated rats in comparison to control. Exposure to different doses of arsenic (10, 50, 100 ppb) also produced a dose-dependent effect on these oxidative biomarkers. Arsenic exposure produces potentiating MZ-induced testicular toxicity in Wistar rats. Testicular damage was further corroborated by extremely severe histopathological changes viz., interstitial as well as sub-capsular congestion, oedema aside from degeneration, necrosis and loss of seminiferous tubules and a drastic deterioration in sperm motility in this group. In contrast, administration of toxicants along with quercetin or catechin markedly attenuated the alterations in oxidative as well as cellular damage biomarkers and testicular histopathological alterations. Our results suggested that simultaneous low dose exposure to arsenic potentiated testicular toxicity induced by MZ. Furthermore, catechin was more potent as compared to quercetin in ameliorating testicular changes induced by concurrent arsenic and MZ exposure.