The reproductive toxicity of cadmium chloride in male mice

Objective: To study the reproductive toxicity of cadmium chloride in male mice. Methods: Male mice of 4 weeks old were administered cadium chloride at doses of 0.5, 2 or 8 mg·kg-1·day-1 i.p. for 10 days. At day 50, the males were mated with virgin females at 1: 2. The pregnancy rate, the litter size and the body weight of the offspring were recorded; at the same time the development of the testis, the testicular index, the germ cell miosis and the epididymal sperm count, motility and malformed sperm were observed in the intoxicated males. Results: The testicular index was lower in the 2 and 8 mg/kg groups than in the controls and 0.5 mg/kg groups (P< 0.05). In the 2 and 8 mg/kg groups, there were testicular maldeve-lopment, epididymal azoospermia and infertility. The pregnancy rate was lower in the 2 mg/kg group than in the control and 0.5 mg/ kg group (P<0.05). The ectopic pregnancy rate of the cadmium chloride group was not significantly different from that of the controls. The sperm count, motility

The reproductive toxicity of cadmium chloride in male mice