Chloroquine reduces fertilizing capacity of epididyma sperm in rats

Chloroquine diphosphate was administered intraperioneally to two groups of adult male rats at two dosage levels of 5 mg base/kg body weight and 10 mg base/kg body weight. The drug was administered over a period of fourteen days. Fertilizing ability of epididymal sperm was assessed in the rats by cohabitation with normal cycle female rats and foetal size was noted. Epididymal spermatozoa were counted in these groups of rats. Chloroquine effected a dose-related reduction in fertility of the male rats as evidenced by a reduction in average number of foetuses of cohabited females, although the sperm count in the groups was not significantly different. This suggest that the drug does play an inhibitory role in sperm function.