The Effects of Trifluralin on LH, FSH and Testosterone Hormone Levels and Tes-tis Histological Changes in Adult Rats

Trifluralin is a herbicide and used in agriculture widely. It enters plants through developing roots and stops plant cells from division and elongation (meristemic inhibitor). Extensive application of trifluralin to control annual grasses and broadleaf weeds in agriculture, horticulture and horn garden, leads to environmental pollution and its entrance into the food chain could have determined effects on human and other species. In this research the effects of trifluralin on reproductive parameters of the male rats including serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone levels, and changes in testicular tissue and body weight were investigated. For this purpose male rats were randomly divided in 5 groups, to include control, sham (received normal saline as a solvent), and three experimental groups which received 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg oral trifluralin respectively. After 16 days, body and testis weight were measured and blood samples were taken from heart and used for measurement of LH, FSH and testosterone levels. To evaluate histological changes, testes were removed and weighed and, after obtaining tissue section, stained by HE. Serum testosterone, FSH, and LH levels showed significant decrease in experimental groups (p<0.05). There was significant decrease in the number of germinal and somatic cells in testis in experimental groups. There was also a significant decrease in body and testis weight in experimental groups. It can be concluded that oral administration of trifluralin could decrease gonadotropins and testosterone hormone levels and also this herbicide could have hazardous effects on testis tissue.