Testis in Experimental of Lathyrism

Presently lathyrism, still represent an important public health subject in some countries, particulary in Africa and Asia. The objectives of this study is to evaluate morphogenic changes in seminiferous tubules related to this disease. Thirty animals were used randomly distributed by three groups of ten animals each. Group I was submitted to no manipulation. Group II and III were submitted to the administration of semicarbazide hydrochloride for 4 weeks. The toxic was incorporated in the diet, in the dose of 3g/Kg, for group II and in the dose of 6g/Kg for group III. All the animals were sacrificed on the 30th day, by an overdose of anaesthetics and the necropsy was performed. Each tissue sample was embedded separately in paraffin block. After embedding, cross‐sections were taken from each block and stained with hematoxylin‐eosin. The slides were then examined by light microscope and photographed. From each animal of all groups were chosen systematically and randomly 15 seminiferous tubules for determination of the area occupied by seminiferous tubules, using the software Sigma Scan Pro 5.0. Statistical comparisons were made using the 95% confidence intervals. For a 95% confidence interval the area occupied by seminiferous tubules varies between 56686.64 and 64796.66 in the control group, between 35954.44 and 48444.28 in the group II and between 32529.72 and 47864.02 in the group III. The results suggest that emicarbazide hydrochloride semicarbazide have a marked influence on the testis, that is expressed by a reduced area occupied by the seminiferous tubules.