Muhammad Rafique, Shahid Pervez Shaikh, Fazila Tahir.
Protective effect of zinc over lead toxicity on testes.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Jan ;20(6):377-81.

Objective: To determine the effects of lead and zinc on testes. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of Study: Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from August 2003 to December 2005. Methodology: Sixty adult (90 days old) albino rats were obtained from animal house JPMC for the study and divided into 3 groups. Group A received injection normal saline 1 cc intraperitoneally daily for 8 weeks. Group B received lead chloride in a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally daily. Group C received zinc chloride in a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight before half an hour of injection of lead chloride in a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneally daily so that to provide pre-treatment. On the day of completion of treatment the animals were sacrificed testes removed and fixed in Bouin’s fluid. Testes were dehydrated in the ascending strength of alcohol, 5 ìm thick sections were cut and stained with PAS Iron Hematoxylin. Student`s t-test was used for statistical analysis with significance at p < 0.05. Results: The mean diameter of seminiferous tubule was 291.91±1.18, 198.53±1.67 and 288.77±1.11 ìm in groups A, B and C respectively. Diameter of seminiferous tubules decreased by 31.99% in group B (p < 0.001; CI 89.023 to 97.736) as compared group A and while group B comparing with group C, the diameter of seminiferous tubules was decreased by 31.25% (p-value = 0.076; CI -94.264 to -86.203). Mean thickness of germinal epithelium was 96.19±1.01, 50.69±1.20 and 94.94±0.54 ìm in groups A, B and C respectively. Thickness of germinal epithelium decreased by 47.30 in group B (P < 0.001; CI 42.503 to 48.496) as compared to group A and while comparing group B with group C, the thickness of germinal epithelium was decreased by 46.61% (p=-44.25; CI -46.704 to -41.787). Conclusion: Zinc prevented toxic effects of lead on germinal epithelium in the albino rats.

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