Aim: To study the effect of bisphenol A on the epididymis and epididymal sperm of rats and the possible amelioration action of co-administration with vitamin C.
Methods: Male Wistar rats were orally administered bisphenol A (0.2 microg x kg (-1) x day(-1), 2 microg x kg(-1) x day(-1) and 20 microg x kg(-1) x day(-1)) and 0.2 microg, 2 microg and 20 microg bisphenol A + 40 mg vitamin C x kg(-1) x day(-1) for 60 days. On day 61, rats were killed with anesthetic ether and sperm collected from epididymis were used or assessment of sperm count, motility and viability and biochemical studies. A 1 % homogenate of epididymis was prepared and used for biochemical estimations. Caput, corpus and cauda epididymis were fixed in Bouin's fixative for histological studies.
Results: Administration of bisphenol A caused a reduction in the epididymal sperm motility and count and the sperm viability remained unchanged. The activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase decreased, while the levels of lipid peroxidation increased in epididymal sperm and epididymis at all doses. Co-administration with vitamin C reversed the effect of bisphenol A-induced oxidative stress in epididymal sperm and epididymis. A complete degeneration of epididymal epithelium in caput, corpus and cauda regions with reduction in the number of sperms were observed at all doses of bisphenol A-treated rats.
Conclusion: Bisphenol A induced oxidative stress in epididymis and caused degeneration of the epididymal epithelium of rats. Co-administration with vitamin C had a protective effect against the bisphenol A-induced toxicity in epididymal sperm and epididymis.