Introduction: Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) is an inorganic salt with various applications. Industrialization and uncontrolled use of nitrate/nitrite salts has increased human exposure to high levels of NaNO2, which can act as a pro-oxidant and pro-carcinogen. The adverse health effects of NaNO2 are typically due to the formation of methemoglobin in the blood and respectively to hypoxia. Most mammals have little tolerance to hypoxia.
Materials and Methods: Adult male ICR mice were intraperitoneally injected with a single toxic dose of 120 mg. kg-1 b.w. NaNO2 to evaluate the early effect of acute hemic hypoxia on the testes and sperm count. Treated animals were sacrificed at different time intervals (1h, 5h, 1d, 2d and 5d) following the administration. Testes and epididymides were sampled, weighed and embedded in paraffin using routine histological practice. Spermatozoa were isolated from both vasa deferentia and counted.
Results: Apart from the normal morphology of the tubules, histological observations of the testis in all investigated groups demonstrated areas with disorganization of the seminiferous epithelium and collections of undifferentiated germ cells in the luminal region. We observed overgrowth and lumen distension of rete testis, a marker for accumulation of seminal fluid in the testis. Data correspond to increased testicular weight/body weight index. The epididymal index in all groups was reduced bu about 40% compared to controls. Regarding sperm count, we established a reduction in almost all of the groups, statistically significant only 48 h after treatment.
Conclusion: The quantitative changes of macro-parameters and sperm count were supported by a histopathological alteration of mice testes even in the early periods after NaNO2-induced hemic hypoxia.
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