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Reproductive toxicity of lapachol in adult male Wistar rats submitted to short‐term treatment
Author(s) -
de Cássia da Silveira e Sá Rita,
de Oliveira Guerra Martha
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.2141
Subject(s) - seminal vesicle , toxicity , sperm , reproductive toxicity , body weight , biology , physiology , testicle , spermatogenesis , pharmacology , andrology , medicine , endocrinology , botany , prostate , cancer
Abstract Lapachol is a therapeutic naphthoquinone, but little is known about its general and reproductive toxicity. In female rats, a high incidence of resorptions and fetal mortality has been reported. This work analyses the effect of the short‐term administration of lapachol on vital and reproductive organs, and sperm production in Wistar rats. Adult animals were treated with 1 mL of lapachol hydroalcohol solution (100 mg/kg of body weight) for 5 days and killed 3 (T1) and 14 days (T2) after the end of treatment. Body and organ weights and sperm production were evaluated. The administration of lapachol significantly reduced the weight of the seminal vesicle (T1 animals). No significant alteration of gamete production, body weight and the weight of the other organs analysed were detected. The results suggest a reproductive toxicity effect of lapachol, indicating the seminal vesicle as a possible target organ. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.