Evaluation of reproductive toxicity in rats treated with triclosan.

Triclosan (TCS) is an antibacterial agent used in a variety of consumer products such as: soaps, deodorant, and toothpaste, among others. Some studies have reported the (anti)androgenic effects of TCS in the male reproductive system, raising concerns about its effects on the reproductive axis. In this study, the (anti)androgenicity of TCS was evaluated in the Hershberger assay in 52-day old male Wistar rats. Additionally, the sexual behavior, sperm motility, sperm viability, and testicular histomorphometry were evaluated in a second protocol to investigate the reproductive effects of TCS in 49-day old male Wistar rats. The dosages were administered based on the acceptable daily intake for TCS, in addition to 3 and 10-fold higher doses. Our results demonstrated that TCS, in the doses administered, did not act as an endocrine disrupter (ED), with no (anti)androgenic effect in the Hershberger assay and without interfering with the parameters evaluated in the reproductive toxicity study.