Investigations of Hemato-Biochemical, Histopathological, Oxidative Stress and Reproductive Effects of Thiram in Albino Rats

Thiram, being a dithiocarbamate fungicide, is frequently used to protect a variety of food crops (vegetables, ornamentals and fruits) and seeds and it may remain in various products of plants, water and in soil after applications. The current study was executed to record the toxic effects of thiram in male albino rats. A total of 15 adult male albino rats were obtained from local market and were placed in wire cages in three groups (A-C). Thiram was administered daily to all rats of group B (50 mg/kg bw) and C (75 mg/kg bw) for 21 days and different tissues (blood, testes and liver) were harvested for determination of hematological, reproductive and oxidative stress parameters. Results revealed significantly lower values of red blood cell counts and hemoglobin quantity while increased values of total white blood cell counts and neutrophil percentage. The different serum biomarkers including alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, urea, creatinine, triglyceride, glucose and cholesterol significantly escalated in thiram treated rats. Results showed significantly lower levels of antioxidant enzymes (peroxidase and catalase) while higher values of oxidative stress biomarkers such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thiobarbituric acid substance (TBARS) in liver of treated albino rats. Histopathological investigations indicated different pathological lesions including degeneration and damage of spermatogonia, cellular debris in lumen of seminiferous tubules, necrosis of spermatids, decrease in frequency of seminiferous tubules with normal spermatozoa, arrest of process of spermatogenesis and inflammatory materials in testes of rats. This work shows that thiram causes disruption of normal functions of blood-biochemistry, antioxidant enzymes and reproductive tissues through induction of oxidative stress.