Effects of bisphenol a and octylphenol on the reproductive performance in albino mice

Abstract

Environmental oestrogens are synthetic oestrogenic/anti-oestrogenic substances derived mainly from industrial sources such as detergents, paints, herbicides, pesticides and plastics and subsequently found in water and food. Initial observations in wildlife suggested that these chemicals caused adverse reproductive effects in animals. A major area of concern has been in relation to the possible link between the effects of environmental oestrogens and reported decline in sperm count and increasing reproductive disorders in men. The studies reported in this Thesis concentrate on the investigation of the reputed oestrogenic activity of two industrial chemicals Bisphenol-A and Octylphenol. Three different doses of each chemical i.e 50 mg, 75 mg and 100 mg/kg body weight/day were used in the studies. 17B-oestradiol was used as positive control. To determine the estrogenicity of the test chemicals the method described by Evans et al. (1941) were followed. Uterine protein and glycogen were estimated after the method described by Seifter et al. (1950) and Lowry et al. (1951) respectively. Total serum cholesterol was estimated after the method described by Zak (1957). DNA and RNA were extracted by the hydrolytic method of Schimdt Thannhauser-Schneider (1946) and was estimated following UV-spectrophotometer method described by Thimmaih, (1998). Histological studies were carried out by routine hematoxylin eosin according to the procedure described by Luna (1968). LD50 was determined using the method described by Omkar (1994) In the present studies, both the chemical have been shown to influence many aspects of mammalian reproductive processes via effects on the biochemical and histological alterations of reproductive system and alterations of sexual behavior. These changes were depended on the dose of exposure. Within treated groups, 17B-oestradiol gave the expected maximal response in all the experimental parameters. Between Bisphenol-A and Octylphenol, the highest activity was observed in the group receiving 100mg/kg body...