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FUNGICIDE METHYL 2-BENZIMIDAZOLE CARBAMATE CAUSES INFERTILITY IN MALE SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS
Citation:
Carter, S., R. Hess, AND J. Laskey. FUNGICIDE METHYL 2-BENZIMIDAZOLE CARBAMATE CAUSES INFERTILITY IN MALE SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-87/267 (NTIS PB88171079), 1987.
Description:
A serial breeding technique was used to evaluate the fertility of male Sprague-Dawley rats after exposure to the fungicide carbendazim (methyl 2-benzimidazole carbamate)(C). Proven-fertile male rats (90 d old) received 10 daily doses of corn oil or C(400 mg/kg/d) peroral. Each male was bred with a new female each wk; breeding began on the third d of treatment and continued for 32 wks postexposure. Twelve d after each breeding period the females were killed, their uteri and fetuses were examined, & the number of dead and viable fetuses was determined. All males were killed 35 wks postexposure, & testicular tissue was prepared for histopathological examination by vascular perfusion. Fertility (% fertile as indicated by pregnant females) of males in the C-treated group was depressed during the first postexposure wk; 10 of the 24 treated males failed to breed, as compared with no breeding failures in the control group. By the 5th postexposure wk, 16 of the 24 C-treated males were infertile. Of these 16 males 4 recovered fertility after a failure to breed for 5 to 11 consecutive breeding periods.