Testicular toxicity in rat to repeated oral administration of tetramethylthiuram disulfide (Thiram).

Thiram was administered to male rats through gavage at doses 5, 10 and 25 mg/kg/day for 180 and 360 days. Thiram has caused marginal increase in the relative weight of testes and epididymis and decrease in the weight of seminal vesicle and prostate. Marked degenerative changes were observed in seminiferous tubules together with alterations in testicular enzyme profile. The activity of testicular enzymes such as ACP, SDH and ATPase (Na+ + K+ dependent) was decreased whereas activity of LDH, G-6-PDH and ALP increased. The levels of serum cholesterol and testicular free sialic acid were enhanced, while the level of testicular protein was lowered. It is evident from the present study that long term treatment of thiram at tested dose levels has resulted in dose and time dependent morphological and biochemical changes in testes of rat.