Reproductive toxicity of soybean (Glycine max L.) in rat

Abstract

Effect of soybean on weight of testes and epididymes, histology of testes, sperm count, sperm viability, sperm head abnormality and conception rate was investigated in eighty mature albino rats (20 males and 60 females) of 12 weeks old with similar body weights. The rats were assigned to four groups of 5 male rats each and treated with soybean meal at 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight (BW) respectively daily for 65 days. The treated and the control males were made to sire the untreated female rats in the ratio of 1:3 for conception rate. The male rats were then sacrificed and the testes and epididymes were dissected out and weighed. The testes were processed for testicular histology and the epididymes were processed for epididymal sperm count, viability and sperm head abnormality test. There were dose-dependent effects of soybean on sperm count, sperm viability and sperm head abnormality, as well as toxicity effects to testicular integrity and conception rate. Soybean had strong capability to reduce spermatogenic activities and sperm quality that could result in reproductive toxicity, reproductive dysfunctions and infertility in male animals.