Gonadotoxicity due to cypermethrin in Wistar albino rats and its effect on the growth and development of their progeny

Cypermethrin (CYP) is a synthetic pyrethroid. It acts as an endocrine disruptor which negatively affects animal’s reproductive and developmental processes of progeny. So, The present study aimed to examine the toxicity of oral administration of CYP at three different doses (25mg, 50mg, and 75mg/kg) on the reproductive organs of albino rats and also on the growth and development of pups. For this study, animals were divided into four groups: Group I was the control group, and the remaining three were experimental groups that received CYP at a dose of 25mg (group II), 50mg (group III), and 75mg (group IV) per kg body weight (BW) of rat per day for 30 days. There are sixteen animals in each group- eight males and eight females. Histological studies of reproductive organs suggested that CYP exposure caused alteration in the structure of the ovary and testis tissue. In females, significant changes in the ovary, such as distorted follicles, loss of follicular stages, presence of antral follicles, damaged granulosa and theca cells, and blood vessel congestion, were observed, while in males, there were alterations in testes tissue damage in seminiferous tubules, reduced number of germinal cells, and reduction in the size of seminiferous tubules. A significant reduction was observed in the number, length, eyes opening, fur arrival time, and size of pups. Fertility was also recorded up to 80% in the 50 and 75mg CYP-treated female rats. The study suggested that CYP exposure caused gonadal toxicity in albino rats and affected the development of neonates.