Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c mice

Malaria is currently the world's most important parasitic infection, especially in the tropical countries, where the disease has continually been a major cause of morbidity and death. In most African countries, Artemether–lumenfantrine is drug of choice for treatment of malaria and the drug is...

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Main Authors: Bintu M. Mofio, Rejoice John, Omerah Raphael Attah, Agbonu O. Adikpe, Ifukibot L. Usende
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020-07-01
Series:Scientific African
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227620301927
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author Bintu M. Mofio
Rejoice John
Omerah Raphael Attah
Agbonu O. Adikpe
Ifukibot L. Usende
author_facet Bintu M. Mofio
Rejoice John
Omerah Raphael Attah
Agbonu O. Adikpe
Ifukibot L. Usende
author_sort Bintu M. Mofio
collection DOAJ
description Malaria is currently the world's most important parasitic infection, especially in the tropical countries, where the disease has continually been a major cause of morbidity and death. In most African countries, Artemether–lumenfantrine is drug of choice for treatment of malaria and the drug is readily available over the counter, promoting its continuous and indiscriminate use without proper parasitological diagnosis. Here, we investigate the effects of long term but low dose administration of Artemether- lumefantrine on the semen quality and gross weight and histology of the testis and epidydimis of male BALB/c mice. A total of 10 BALB/c male mice weighing 25.2± 0.60g were used and distributed equally into two groups; control and Artemether- lumefantrine. We analyzed absolute and relative testicular weight, and volume, sperm reserve and quality as well as testicular and epidydimal histopathological changes following long term but low dose Artemether- lumefantrine treatment of mice. Both the absolute and relative testicular weights as well as the average testicular volume of treated mice were influenced and significantly decreased. Testicular and epididymal sperm cells storage potential, percentage sperm cells motility and mass activity were significantly decreased in Artemether-lumefantrine treated group compared to control. Also, exposure to Artemether-lumefantrine induced severe disruption of testicular seminiferous tubules with multiple areas of vacuolar degeneration and coagulative necrosis. The epithelia cells of the epidydimis of Artemether-lumefantrine treated mice group also showed severe vacuolar and necrotic degenerations, loss of cilia and multiple foci of lymphocytes infiltrations. In conclusion, this study showed that long term but low dose administration of Artemether-lumefantrine can lead to infertility.
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spelling doaj.art-6ae7aee6e3c14602be2494e267a18f2d2022-12-21T23:46:08ZengElsevierScientific African2468-22762020-07-018e00454Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c miceBintu M. Mofio0Rejoice John1Omerah Raphael Attah2Agbonu O. Adikpe3Ifukibot L. Usende4Department of Biological Sciences, University of Abuja, Abuja, NigeriaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Abuja, Abuja, NigeriaDepartment of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Abuja, Abuja, NigeriaDepartment of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Abuja, Abuja, NigeriaDepartment of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria; Corresponding author.Malaria is currently the world's most important parasitic infection, especially in the tropical countries, where the disease has continually been a major cause of morbidity and death. In most African countries, Artemether–lumenfantrine is drug of choice for treatment of malaria and the drug is readily available over the counter, promoting its continuous and indiscriminate use without proper parasitological diagnosis. Here, we investigate the effects of long term but low dose administration of Artemether- lumefantrine on the semen quality and gross weight and histology of the testis and epidydimis of male BALB/c mice. A total of 10 BALB/c male mice weighing 25.2± 0.60g were used and distributed equally into two groups; control and Artemether- lumefantrine. We analyzed absolute and relative testicular weight, and volume, sperm reserve and quality as well as testicular and epidydimal histopathological changes following long term but low dose Artemether- lumefantrine treatment of mice. Both the absolute and relative testicular weights as well as the average testicular volume of treated mice were influenced and significantly decreased. Testicular and epididymal sperm cells storage potential, percentage sperm cells motility and mass activity were significantly decreased in Artemether-lumefantrine treated group compared to control. Also, exposure to Artemether-lumefantrine induced severe disruption of testicular seminiferous tubules with multiple areas of vacuolar degeneration and coagulative necrosis. The epithelia cells of the epidydimis of Artemether-lumefantrine treated mice group also showed severe vacuolar and necrotic degenerations, loss of cilia and multiple foci of lymphocytes infiltrations. In conclusion, this study showed that long term but low dose administration of Artemether-lumefantrine can lead to infertility.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227620301927MalariaArtemether–lumenfantrineBALB/c miceSperm cell damageTesticular and epidydimal destructions
spellingShingle Bintu M. Mofio
Rejoice John
Omerah Raphael Attah
Agbonu O. Adikpe
Ifukibot L. Usende
Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c mice
Scientific African
Malaria
Artemether–lumenfantrine
BALB/c mice
Sperm cell damage
Testicular and epidydimal destructions
title Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c mice
title_full Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c mice
title_fullStr Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c mice
title_full_unstemmed Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c mice
title_short Chronic oral exposure to Artemether–lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage, germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in BALB/c mice
title_sort chronic oral exposure to artemether lumenfantrine induced testicular and epidydimal damage germ cell death and severe decrease sperm viability in balb c mice
topic Malaria
Artemether–lumenfantrine
BALB/c mice
Sperm cell damage
Testicular and epidydimal destructions
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468227620301927
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