Protective role of vitamin A in the male reproductive toxicity of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in the rat.

The reproductive toxicity of the organochlorine insecticide, hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), was investigated in male albino rats fed a diet free of vitamin A or containing vitamin A at 2000 or 100,000 IU/kg diet. Diets containing 1000 ppm HCH for 7 weeks did not cause testicular toxicity in the vitamin-A-deficient and supplemented rats. However, reproductive toxicity was clearly manifested 2 weeks after withdrawing HCH from the diets and was more pronounced in the vitamin A deficient rats compared to their vitamin A supplemented counterparts. Reduction in the testicular weights was accompanied by atrophy of epididymides and seminal vesicles in the vitamin A deficient rats alone. Inhibition of spermatogenesis was further confirmed by decreased sperm count in the epididymis. Biochemically, the activities of the steroidogenic enzymes were drastically reduced. Supplementation of vitamin A after withdrawal of HCH accelerated the recovery and restored spermatogenesis and enzyme activities in the deficient rats. These results demonstrate the greater susceptibility of the male reproductive system to HCH toxicity during vitamin A deficiency and also the protective effect of vitamin A supplementation.