Assessment of the effects of sodium nitrate (NaNO) on the reproductive system, liver, pancreas, and kidney of male rats.

Nitrate (NO) toxicity is a serious global issue that results in impairment of physiological systems of our body. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different concentration of NaNO (10, 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw) on the male reproductive system, liver, kidney and pancreas. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into five groups of five animals each ( = 5). The first group served as controls. The second, third, fourth and fifth groups of rat were orally intubated with 10, 100, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw of NaNO for 52 days. After the treatment period, the rats were sacrificed and NO induced alterations on selected organs were assessed. There was a dose dependent decrease in sperm motility, serum concentration of testosterone, body weight and organ weight, and increase in abnormal sperm morphology in the NaNO treated groups compared with the controls. Further, histological analysis confirmed that NO induced toxicity. Shrunken seminiferous tubules and loss of spermatids in testes, shrinkage of acinar cells of the pancreas, sinusoidal congestion and necrosis in the liver, atrophy of glomeruli and congestion of renal tubules of the kidney were the histological alterations observed in rats treated with100 and 500 mg/kg NaNO. However, 100% mortality was observed in rats treated with 1000 mg/kg NaNO. The present study clearly demonstrated the toxic effects of NaNO on both the reproductive system and other organs of the body. The study might inform human studies; where in the chances of male infertility may be more a problem for individuals in areas with NO-rich ground water.