Calcium is essential for functioning of different systems including male reproduction. However, it has also been reported as chemo-castrative agent. The study has been undertaken to elucidate the effect of excessive dietary calcium on male reproductive system in animals with possible action. Adult male healthy rats fed CaCl2 at different doses (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g%) in diet for 13 and 26 days to investigate reproductive parameters as well as the markers of oxidative stress. Significant alteration was found (P&lt;0.05) in testicular and accessory sex organs weight, epididymal sperm count, testicular steroidogenic enzyme (Δ5 3β-HSD and 17β-HSD) activities, serum testosterone, LH, FSH, LPO, activities of antioxidant enzymes, testicular histoarchitecture along with adrenal Δ5 3β-HSD activity with corticosterone level in dose- and time-dependent manner. Overall observations suggest that excessive dietary calcium enhances the generation of freeradicals resulting in structural and functional disruption of male reproduction. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2011.

A K CHANDRA

P SENGUPTA

H GOSWAMI

M SARKAR

University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University or CU) is a collegiate public state university located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.&nbsp;Within India it is recognized as a &quot;Five-Star University&quot; and accredited &quot;A&quot; Grade by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

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The University of Calcutta has secured the Fifth position among the Universities of India in the prestigious &quot;Indian University Ranking 2019&quot; list, released by the NIRF of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

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It was established on 24 January 1857, and was one of the first institutions in Asia to be established as a multidisciplinary and Western-style university. Its alumni and faculty include several heads of state, heads of government, social reformers, prominent artists, only academy award winner and Dirac medal winner in India, many Fellows of the Royal Society and five Nobel laureates as of 2019 which is highest in South Asia.

University Of Calcutta

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry

This review comprehensively summarizes the effects of more than 15 mostly used pesticides on male reproductive physiology, as recent experimental and epidemiological research have indicated their alarming impact on overall human health. Mechanisms have described that pesticide exposure damages spermatozoa, alter Sertoli or Leydig cell function, both in vitro and in vivo and thus affects semen quality. But, the literature suggests a need for more intricate research in those pesticides that are defined as mutagens or carcinogens and directly affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This literature review also proposes specific solutions to overcome these health effects.

Human and Experimental Toxicology

Environmental toxins: Alarming impacts of pesticides on male fertility

This review summarizes the effects of more than 20 metals that, research has indicated, may influence male reproductive health. Though males lack an apparent, easily measurable reproductive cycle, progress has been made in evaluating tests to identify chemical hazards and estimate reproductive health risks. Some agents discussed in this review are well known to have potential toxic effects on the male reproductive system, whereas some are not so well established in toxicology. This review attempts to cover most of the known toxicants and their effects on male fertility. The literature suggests a need for further research in those chemicals that are reactive and capable of covalent interactions in biological systems, as well as those defined as mutagens and/or carcinogens, to cause aneuploidy or other chromosomal aberrations, affect sperm motility in vitro, share hormonal activity or affect hormone action, and those that act directly or indirectly to affect the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis. © 2013 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.

Drug and Chemical Toxicology

Environmental and occupational exposure of metals and their role in male reproductive functions

Background: Experimental unilateral cryptorchidism (ULC) and bilateral cryptorchidism (BLC) are excellent methods to study undescended testis in relation to spermatogenesis against a temperature gradient. Objectives: In case of ULC, it is possible to compare the testicular functions between normal condition and cryptorchidism in the same animal, whereas BLC shows the necessity of testicular androgens for proper maintenance of reproductive structures and functions. Materials and Methods: In the present study, experimental ULC and BLC was done on same-aged adult mature male mice and kept for 15 days and 30 days, respectively, to observe the changes due to the induced cryptorchidism on the different reproductive organs, viz., the testis and accessory sex organs along with epididymal sperm count. Reproductive tissues were collected from individual animals and histopathological studies of testis were done to investigate different cytological changes. Results: The size of the testes and accessory sex organs were found to be significantly reduced in BLC mice, whereas only testicular weight reduction was observed in ULC mice. Histopathological studies showed degenerative changes throughout the seminiferous tubules. Conclusion: Thus, the present investigation showed compensatory androgen production in ULC mice, whereas absence of androgen mediated reproductive functions in BLC animals.

Fulltext

Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences

Unilateral and bilateral cryptorchidism and its effect on the testicular morphology, histology, accessory sex organs, and sperm count in laboratory mice

Frontiers in Endocrinology

Thyroid function in male infertility

Vanadium has been recognized as industrial hazards that adversely affect male reproductive systems of humans and animals. However, less information is available concerning the underlying mechanism in the pathogenesis of male reproductive dysfunction. The present study investigated the possible involvement of oxidative stress to induce oxidative deterioration of testicular functions in adult rats. The results of in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that vanadium treatment resulted in a significant dose- and time-dependent increase in the testicular lipid peroxidation, marked inhibition in the level of superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, decreased sperm counts, and substantially inhibited the activities of Δ53β- and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase as well as serum testosterone level. Histopathological examination revealed inhibition of spermatogenesis and the preferential loss of maturing and elongated spermatids along with increased percent of abnormal sperm. Taken together, the results suggest that an increase in free radical formation relative to loss of antioxidant defense system during vanadium exposure may render testis more susceptible to oxidative damage leading to their functional inactivation. Thus the toxic effects of vanadium are cumulative and that vanadium produced damages in testes are dose- and time-dependent. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry

Effects of vanadate on male rat reproductive tract histology, oxidative stress markers and androgenic enzyme activities

The present study investigates the testicular and adrenocortical activities under different doses and durations of chromium (Cr) exposure and their interactions. Mature male Sprague Dawley rats were injected daily with three different doses (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 mg/kg bw) of Cr salt (K2Cr2O7) intraperitonealy for 13 and 26 days, respectively. The medium (0.4 mg/kg bw/day) and higher dose (0.6 mg/kg bw/day) of Cr significantly (p &lt; 0.05) decrease accessory sex organs weight, testicular Δ53β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) and 17β-HSD activities, epididymal sperm count, effective spermatid degeneration, serum testosterone, LH level, testicular catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities while testicular lipid peroxidation, serum FSH, corticosterone level, adrenal weight and adrenal Δ53β-HSD activity increased significantly than that of control and lower dose (0.2 mg/kg bw/day) Cr exposed animals. Testicular histoarchitechture shows deterioration after critical dose (0.4 mg/kg bw/day) and duration (26 days) of Cr exposure. Cr induced alterations on testicular and adrenocortical activities are dose and duration dependent. Adrecortical hyperactivity accompanied by testicular oxidative stress might have a crucial role for Cr induced male reproductive impairment. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproductive Toxicology

Chromium induced testicular impairment in relation to adrenocortical activities in adult albino rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the role of adrenals in gonadal activity in the male toad during the breeding season. Exogenous administration of corticosterone or metapyrone for 6 days inhibited adrenal δ5-3β(delta 5-3 beta) hydroxysteroid (δ5-3β- HSD) and testicular 17β (17 beta) hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activities, decreased the serum levels of testosterone and inhibited spermatogenesis. When toads were treated with corticosterone a significant rise of serum corticosterone was noted while metapyrone treatment appeared to decrease serum corticosterone levels. It is concluded that adrenocortical hormone plays an indirect role in testicular activity in toads during the breeding season.

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ISSN	0300-8177