Testicular effects of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP): biochemical and histopathological alterations.

Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) was administered to young male rats by gavage at the doses of 250, 500 and 1,000 mg/kg body weight/day for 15 days. A significant decrease in testes weight was observed at 500 and 1,000 mg/kg doses of DBP. Histopathological examination revealed marked degeneration of seminiferous tubules. The activities of testicular enzymes associated with postmeiotic spermatogenic cells, such as sorbitol dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase, were decreased significantly, while that of lactate dehydrogenase was significantly increased, coincident with degeneration of spermatogenic cells. The activities of enzymes associated with premeiotic spermatogenic cells, Sertoli cells or interstitial cells, beta-glucuronidase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were significantly increased. Thus the alterations in activity of these testicular cell specific enzymes suggest that DBP exposure during early life could affect the testicular functions.