title: Pathological and genotoxic effects of atrazine in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).
abstract: The objective of the present study was to determine the pathological and genotoxic effects of atrazine (ATZ) in male Japanese quail. Adult male Japanese quail were administered ATZ daily at 0-500 mg/kg bw (A-H groups) orally for 45 days. The blood and morbid tissues were collected at day 15, 30, and 45 of the treatment. A significant decrease in feed intake, body weight, erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin and hematocrit values were observed at high ATZ dose compared to control. Leukocyte counts decreased significantly throughout the experiment in groups E-H (50-500 mg/kg bw). Grossly, testes from ATZ treated birds were comparatively smaller in size. Histologically, seminiferous tubules of testes in group H (500 mg/kg bw) exhibited decreased number of spermatocytes, necrotic nuclei of spermatids, and lesser number or absence of spermatozoa. Biliary hyperplasia and vacuolar degeneration in liver and mild renal tubular necrosis was observed in birds higher doses. Significantly longer comet tails of DNA damage in leukocytes and isolated hepatocytes were recorded with 500 mg/kg bw ATZ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Riaz
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Fazal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.forename: Muhammad Zargham
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Ahrar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Faqir
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Muhammad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001280:Atrazine / Q000633:toxicity*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D020552:Comet Assay; D003370:Coturnix / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000633:toxicity*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000187:drug effects; D006540:Herbicides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006540:Herbicides; D009153:Mutagens; D001280:Atrazine