In vivo and in vitro effect of bendiocarb on rabbit testicular structure and spermatozoa motility

In this study the effect of bendiocarb on the rabbit testicular structure and spermatozoa motility was investigated. For testicular structure evaluation the animals were fed with bendiocarb tablets daily at a dose of 5 mg/kg of body weight for 13 days. The relative volume of the germinal epithelium, interstitium and lumen was measured. The testicular structure evaluation showed decreased relative volume of germinal epithelium in both experimental groups in comparison with the control group. The relative volume of the interstitium was increased in both experimental groups. An increase of the relative volume of the lumen was registered also in both experimental groups. Qualitative analysis detected a dilatation of blood vessels in the interstitium, undulation of the basal membrane and some empty spaces in the germinal epithelium after bendiocarb administration. The spermatozoa motility was evaluated by the computer assisted semen analyzer (CASA) method in various time intervals (0-180 minutes) and the bendiocarb concentration in the culture medium added to experimental groups varied from 0.054 to 0.268 mg/mL. Spermatozoa motility and progressive motility significantly decreased with increased bendiocarb administration and with extending the period of incubation. For other fine motility parameters, a decrease dependent on the time of incubation and on the bendiocarb concentration almost in all experimental groups in comparison to the control was detected. These results clearly suggest that in vitro also in vivo bendiocarb administration decrease male fertility.