Lipid peroxidation and morphology of rat testis in magnesium deficiency

Male Wistar rats were fed diets with different Mg content, ranging from 70 to 850 ppm Mg, for 30 days. After 0, 10, 20 and 30 days, some of the rats were sacrificed for measuring weight, lipid peroxidation, Fe, vitamin E, Na+, K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ content of testes. After 30 days, the morphology of the testes was investigated by electron microscopy. Mg deficiency induced an increase in weight, Na+, Ca2+ and Fe content and a reduction of K+ and Mg2+ content. Vitamin E content was reduced and the content of malondialdehyde as an indicator of lipid peroxidation was increased. Mg deficiency induced morphological alterations in up to 40% of the spermatids in the 70 ppm Mg group, which consisted: 1) in injured stretching of spermatids; 2) in an irregular arrangement of coarse fibres with missing microtubulus complex (axoneme) and microtubulus sheath; 3) in the development of up to 4 bundles of outer fibrils in one spermatid. The increase of Fe content, lipid peroxidation and the onset of morphological alterations occurred already at a mild degree of Mg deficiency.