Toxic Effects of Cypermethrin on the Reproductive
Functions of Female Rabbits and Their Amelioration with Vitamin E
and Selenium
MA Sallam, M Ahmad*, I Ahmad, ST Gul1,
M Idrees, MI Bashir and M Zubair
Department of Theriogenology; 1Department
of Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan;
*Corresponding author:
drmaqbool_ahmad@yahoo.com
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate
the effects of cypermethrin on the reproductive functions and its amelioration
with vitamin E and selenium in rabbits. After 3 days of acclimatization, 30
adult female rabbits were divided into five equal groups A, B, C, D and E. Group
A was kept as control, while all other groups received cypermethrin @ 75 mg/kg
BW I/P at 5 days interval. Meanwhile animals of
group C also received vitamin E @ 150 mg/kg BW and those of group D received
selenium @ 0.45 mg/kg BW orally daily, while group E received vitamin E and
selenium @ 150 mg/kg + 0.45 mg/kg BW daily. The animals were synchronized on the
5th day, while mating was allowed on the 8th day of
experiment. The experimental trial lasted for 32 days. Clinical signs observed in rabbits treated with
cypermethrin were muscular tremors, licking of different body parts, depression
and reduced feed intake. Non-significant difference was observed in all groups
at 12th and 24th day of gestation in number of CLs, while
significant (P<0.05) decrease was observed in implantation sites and number of
recovered fetuses in all treated groups as compared to control group at 12th
and 24th day of gestation. At 12th day of gestation, there
was significant (P<0.05) decrease in serum progesterone concentration in groups
B, C and D as compared to groups A and E. In group E, progesterone concentration
was lower than group A, but statistically the difference was non-significant. At
24th day of gestation, there was significant (P<0.05) decrease in
progesterone concentration in groups B, as compared to control. In conclusion,
combined use of selenium and vitamin E ameliorated the toxic effects of
cypermethrin on reproductive functions in the female rabbits.
Key words: Amelioration,
Cypermethrin,
Rabbits,
Selenium,
Toxicity, Vit. E