Histopathological effects of dimethoate on testes of rats.

The aim of the current study was to investigate subchronic effect of dimethoate on the testes of rats. The animals of exposed groups were fed with laboratory chow combined with 2, 8 and 20 mg/kg dimethoate for 90 days. When compared to control, there was a statistically significant decrease in relative testis weights of rats treated with 20 mg/kg dimethoate. In light microscopic examinations, histopathological observation of the treated rats revealed that dimethoate caused dose-related testicular damage characterized by moderate to severe seminiferous tubule degeneration as sloughing, atrophy, germ cell degeneration and by partial arrest of spermatogenesis.