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EFFECT OF ACUTE EXPOSURE TO BORIC ACID ON THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF THE RAT
Citation:
Linder, R., L. Strader, AND G. Rehnbreg. EFFECT OF ACUTE EXPOSURE TO BORIC ACID ON THE MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM OF THE RAT. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-90/348 (NTIS PB91163626).
Description:
Adult male rats were dosed with 0 or 2000 mg/kg of boric acid and killed at 2, 14, 28, or 57 d posttreatment, or dosed with 0, 250, 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg of boric acid and killed at 14 d posttreatment. At d 14, structures which appeared to be enlarged atypical cytoplasmic lobes were observed in Stage VIII seminiferous tubules of rats dosed with 1000 and 2000 mg/kg. bnormal retention of Step 19 spermatids and residual bodies was also observed in Stage IX-XIII tubules of these rats. The retained spermatids and residual bodies were seen in both the luminal and basal regions of the epithelium. A marked increase in the testicular sperm head count was observed in animals dosed with 2000 mg/kg. Abnormal caput epididymal sperm morphology, and reduced caput epididymal sperm reserves were observed at 1000 mg/kg and higher. Serum LH, FSH, TSH, and prolactin values were not affected at any dosage. At d 28, rats dosed with 2000 mg/kg exhibited continued retention of Step 19 spermatids into Stage X, abnormal caput and cauda sperm morphology and decreased percentages of motile cauda spermatozoa with reduced straight line swimming velocities. By d 57 retention of Step 19 spermatids into Stage X tubules was still present in some rats but the sperm parameters had returned to control values. This study shows that acute exposure to boric acid can adversely affect spermiation and sperm quality. These effects appeared readily reversible at the dosage levels tested.