Effect of lindane on testicular antioxidant system and steroidogenic enzymes in adult rats.
OBJECTIVE
To find out the effect of lindane on testicular antioxidant system and testicular steroidogenesis in adult male rats.


METHODS
Adult male rats were orally administered with lindane at a dose of 5.0 mg/kg body weight per day for 30 days. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment the rats were killed using anesthetic ether. Testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles and ventral prostate were removed and weighed. A 10% testicular homogenate was prepared and centrifuged at 4 degrees C. The supernatant was used for various biochemical estimations.


RESULTS
The body weight and the weights of testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles and ventral prostate were reduced in lindane-treated rats. There was a significant decline in the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione reductase while an increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation was observed. The specific activities of testicular steroidogenic enzymes 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase were decreased. The levels of DNA, RNA and protein were also decreased in lindane-treated rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Lindane induces oxidative stress and decreases antioxidant enzymes in adult male rats.
Sujatha
R
R
School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, India.
Chitra
K C
KC
Latchoumycandane
C
C
Mathur
P P
PP
D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
D001556:Hexachlorocyclohexane; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D015067:17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase