Histopathological changes in rabbit testes during experimental fluorosis

The aim of the study was to evaluate relationship between infertility and the histological structure of the testes following the subcutaneous administration of different doses of sodium fluoride (5, 10, 20 and 50 mg/kg/day), for 100 days, to groups of six male albino rabbits; the six control animals were given 1 cc distilled water/kg b.w./day for the same length of time. Deficient maturation and differentiation of the spermatocytes and an increase in the amount of interstitial tissue were found in the experimental animals. In the higher dosage groups, spermatogenesis stopped and the seminiferous tubules became necrotic. The study thus established the existence of a definite relationship between fluorosis and testicular damage.