Reproductive toxicity of lapachol in adult male Wistar rats submitted to short-term treatment.
Lapachol is a therapeutic naphthoquinone, but little is known about its general and reproductive toxicity. In female rats, a high incidence of resorptions and fetal mortality has been reported. This work analyses the effect of the short-term administration of lapachol on vital and reproductive organs, and sperm production in Wistar rats. Adult animals were treated with 1 mL of lapachol hydroalcohol solution (100 mg/kg of body weight) for 5 days and killed 3 (T1) and 14 days (T2) after the end of treatment. Body and organ weights and sperm production were evaluated. The administration of lapachol significantly reduced the weight of the seminal vesicle (T1 animals). No significant alteration of gamete production, body weight and the weight of the other organs analysed were detected. The results suggest a reproductive toxicity effect of lapachol, indicating the seminal vesicle as a possible target organ.
de Cássia da Silveira E Sá
Rita
R
Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil. ritacassia.sa@bol.com.br
de Oliveira Guerra
Martha
M
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D029663:Tabebuia
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D010936:Plant Extracts; C008252:lapachol