Spermatogenic and steroidogenic impairment after chromium treatment in rats

Feeding of hexavalent chromium at doses of 20, 40 and 60 mg/kg daily for 90 days caused cellular impairment in rat testis. Spermatogenic inhibition coupled with deminution in testicular protein, DNA and RNA was significant at the doses 40 and 60 mg kg chromium. Decline of Leydig cell population and nuclear diameter indicated the steroidogenic impairment and the effect was confirmed by the significant inhibition of 3 beta-delta 5-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase along with low level of serum testosterone.