Effects on the spermatogonia of mice following treatment with sodium bisulfite

The effect of sodium bisulfite on differentiating spermatogonia has been investigated. Adult mice were given either a single intraperitoneal injection (500, 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000 mg/kg body weight) or repeated intraperitoneal injections (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) of sodium bisulfite. In the latter case, the doses were administered 20, 30 and 40 times during 28, 42 and 56 days respectively. Different types of spermatogonia were enumerated from paraffin sections of tests stained with periodic acid--Schiff and Ehrlich's hematoxylin. No mortality was observed up to 700 mg/kg dose within 24 hours. At 1000 mg/kg dose 80% of the mice died within 24 hours post treatment. Cytotoxicity data showed that sodium bisulfite, at any of the dosage level tested after acute or repeated administration did not alter the population of various types of spermatogonia.