title: Collaborative work to evaluate toxicity on male reproductive organs by repeated dose studies in rats 24). Testicular toxicity of boric acid after 2- and 4-week administration periods.
abstract: To assess whether or not male reproductive toxicity can be evaluated in a 2-week administration study, boric acid was administered daily by oral gavage to male Jcl:Wistar rats at dosage levels of 0, 300 and 500 mg/kg for 2 and 4 weeks, and the results obtained with the two different treatment schedules were compared. After a 2-week administration, decreased testis weights were observed in the 500 mg/kg group. Histopathologically, exfoliation of round spermatids, retention of step 19 spermatids and increased numbers of residual body-like structures in the seminiferous tubules and cell debris in the cranial epididymal ducts were observed in the 300 and 500 mg/kg groups. Distorted cytoplasmic lobes of step 19 spermatids, debris in the seminiferous tubules and focal atrophy of the seminiferous tubules with multinucleated giant cells formation and necrosis of spermatocytes were also observed in the 500 mg/kg group. After a 4-week administration, testis and epididymis weights were decreased in the 300 and 500 mg/kg groups. Histopathological changes in the 300 mg/kg group were similar to those found in the 300 and 500 mg/kg groups after a 2-week administration. Diffuse atrophy of the seminiferous tubules was additionally observed in the 500 mg/kg group. These results suggest that 2 weeks is a sufficient treatment period for the detection of the testicular toxicity caused by boric acid.
authors.affiliation: Drug Safety Research Laboratories, Takeda Chemical Industries, Ltd., 2-17-85 Jusohonmachi, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 532-8686, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirode
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chatani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morishima
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mayahara
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001888:Boric Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012670:Seminiferous Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D001888:Boric Acids; C032688:boric acid