Effect of cottonseed oil on reproduction performance of male mice.

Abstract

Oil extract of cottonseed was orally administered to male mice at doses 0%, 20% and 40% daily for 6 weeks to study their effects on male reproduction performance. The results showed that testicular weight was significantly (P<0.05) decrease, highly significant (P<0.01) decrease in the diameters of seminiferous and epididymal tubules and thickness of proliferated of spermatogenic and epithelial cells layers were revealed highly significant (P<0.01) decrease as compared to the control. Administration 20% and 40% cottonseed oil to male mice for 6 weeks caused a significant (P<0.05) and highly significant (P<0.01) decrease respectively in serum testosterone concentration as compared to the control. Dose 20% oil caused significant (P<0.05) reduction in the level of serum FSH and LH, while 40% oil caused highly significant (P<0.01) decrease in the level of serum FSH and LH. Finally, cottonseed oil caused histological changes in the testicular tissues which comprise different grades of degenerations in the spermatogenic layers, large numbers of germ cells were detached and sloughed in the lumen and absence of sperms from some of seminiferous tubules in addition to widening of interstitial spaces due to presence of edema and congestion of blood vessels. Objective of the present study was to knowledge the effect of cottonseed oil on male reproduction performance of mice which comprise different parameters such as measurement of reproductive organs weight, diameters of seminiferous and epididymal tubules, reproductive hormones and histological changes.