Triclosan exhibits a tendency to accumulate in the epididymis and shows sperm toxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats.
Triclosan (TCS) is considered a potent endocrine disruptor that causes reproductive toxicity in non-mammals, but it is still unclear exactly whether TCS has adverse effects on the sperm or reproductive organs in mammals. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the distribution status of TCS in male reproductive organs of rats, and seek the correlation with the TCS-induced sperm toxicity or reproductive organ damage. Male rats were intragastrically administered with TCS at a dose of 50 mg/kg, the kinetics of TCS in the plasma and reproductive organs were investigated. TCS in testes and prostates both showed a lower-level distribution compared to that in the plasma, which indicates it has no tendency to accumulate in those organs. However, TCS in the epididymides showed a longer elimination half-life (t1/2 z), a longer the mean retention time (MRT), and a lower clearance (CLZ /F) compared with those in the plasma. Besides, the ratios of mean area under the concentration-time curve (AUC)(0-96 h(epididymides/plasma)) and AUC(0-∞(epididymides/plasma)) were 1.13 and 1.51, respectively. These kinetic parameters suggest TCS has an accumulation tendency in the epididymides. Based on this, we investigated the TCS-induced sperm toxicity and histopathological changes of reproductive organs in rats. TCS was given intragastrically at doses of 10, 50, and 200 mg/kg for 8 weeks. Rats treated with the high dose (200 mg/kg) of TCS showed a significant decrease in daily sperm production (DSP), changes in sperm morphology and epididymal histopathology. Considering the histopathological change in the epididymides, TCS may induce the epididymal damage due to the epididymal accumulation of that.
Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road 103, Shenyang, 110016, People's Republic of China; Laboratory of Molecular Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, San 30, Jangjeon-Dong, Geumjung-Gu, Busan, 609-735, Republic of Korea.
Zhou
Z
Lan
Tae
T
Hyung Kim
Kai
K
Shun Bi
Xiao
X
Hui Chen
Hyung
H
Sik Kim
D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014260:Triclosan / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D014260:Triclosan
daily sperm production; epididymis; histology; sperm toxicity; tissue distribution; triclosan