GONADOPROTECTIVE PROPERTIES OF ANTIOXIDANT COMPLEX IN CONDITIONS CAUSED BY TOXIC EFFECTS OF HERBICIDES

Nowadays, when the nation’s temporary economic difficulties have led to a decline in the agriculture share of the overall economy, the problem of controlling weeds of agricultural land is especially urgent. Undoubtedly, in our country, with the strengthening of the economy, the use of plant protection products is growing, requiring even closer attention to the problem of the environmental impact of herbicides and the rehabilitation of soils contaminated with residues of poisonous chemicals. The general mechanism of the action affecting herbicides of different groups is the violation of redox processes, and, in particular, the increase in free radical lipid peroxidation, first of all, in gonadal cell membranes that can eventually lead to the destruction throughout the reproductive period. Moreover, they produce gonadotoxic effects leading to a decrease in steroidogenesis, and as a consequence, to impaired spermatogenesis. The aim of the study was to investigate the gonadoprotective properties of the antioxidant complex, its effect on the parameters of lipid peroxidation, morphological and functional changes in the testes of rats exposed to the toxic effect of the clopyralid herbicide. The introduction of this complex under the conditions mentioned above contributed not only to a significant decrease in free radical lipid perozidation in the blood and tissues of the testes, but also to normalization of the state of spermatogenic epithelium, quantitative sperm indicators, normalization of sperm motility. It has been proven the complex of antioxidants not only affects the level of spermatogenic epithelium, but also improves the quality of sperm, contributing to the restoration of sperm motility. The studies of morphological changes in the testes and the functional maturation of the sperm have shown that the most significant changes were registered during the correction with the antioxidant complex, emphasizing its more pronounced gonadoprotective effect. The results obtained indicate the feasibility of using this antioxidant complex as gonadoprotectant in cases of chronic intoxication with herbicides.