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Developmental toxic effects of deltamethrin, a type II synthetic pyrethroid on male reproductive
health in rats

1
1 Thathapudi Daveedu, Sri Bhashyam Sainath *

1 Department of Biotechnology, Vikrama Simhapuri University, Nellore-524 324, AP, India.

*Corresponding author: drsainath@vsu.ac.in

Abstract:

The present investigation was aimed to determine the developmental toxic effect of deltamethrin, a type
II pyrethroid on male reproductive health in rats. Prepubertal rats (23 to 30 days) were randomly
allocated into two groups. Rats in group I served as controls (received only vehicle) and rats in group
II were treated as experimental rats, which received deltamethrin (DTM) orally at environmentally
relevant doses. After experimental period (90 days), selected male reproductive endpoints were
determined. Significant reduction in the body weights, sperm viability, sperm motility, sperm
membrane integrity (hypo-osmotic swelling test), sperm density, testicular activity levels of 3β- and
17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) levels and serum testosterone levels were observed in DTM
treated rats over controls. At the molecular level, significant down regulation of mRNA expression
levels of StAR, 3β- and 17β-HSDs were observed in the testis of DTM treated rats. From the results, it
can be concluded that exposure of prepubertal rats to DTM exhibited deterioration of sperm quality and
quantity at their adulthood and could be ascribed to reduced steroidogenesis.

Keywords: Deltamethrin, Pyrethroid, mRNA Expression, Reproductive Health