Subacute bisphenol A toxicity in male new zealand rabbits

Especially in the last 50 years, the use of plastics and plastic products were increased in great significance. This increase made bisphenol A (BPA), one of the main materials for plastic products, as a part of our lives. It was inevitable that the number of BPA related question paralleled with the increase in the use of BPA. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of oral BPA on blood, testis, kidney and liver tissues, and some reproductive hormones and spermatological parameters in male rabbits. In the current study, a total of 24 adult male New Zealand White rabbits was used. Following the 14 days adaptation period, the rabbits were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups. The control group (KONT) received daily 1 mg/kg corn oil, whereas, BPA10, BPA20, and BPA100 groups received 10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weights of BPA in corn oil, respectively for 9 weeks. During the experiment, feed intake and body weights were determined weekly. Blood and biochemical parameters, changes in reproductive hormones and oxidant-antioxidant status were determined from the blood samples taken at the end of the study. At the end of the experimental period, 3 rabbits from each group were randomly selected and euthanized. MDA and some antioxidant enzyme levels and histopathological examinations were performed from the tissue samples taken from the euthanized rabbits. Remaining 3 rabbits from each group kept under the same laboratory conditions for another 9 weeks to investigate whether BPA effects remained through the recovery period. Our study indicated that BPA treatments increased serum BPA levels in a dose-dependent manner. No clinical symptoms were observed in rabbits during treatments. Daily feed consumption, live body weights, and fresh organ weights were not affected due to BPA exposures. BPA resulted in increased oxidative stress in all tissues examined. Moreover, erythrocyte, hemoglobin, urea, creatinine, ALT, ALP and AST levels were affected negatively due to BPA treatments. In the present study, the testicular tissue was negatively affected by oral BPA treatments. Spermatological parameters such as sperm concentration and progressive motility were also decreased because of BPA exposure. While serum FSH, LH, inhibin and estrogen concentrations were not altered due to BPA, serum testosterone levels were decreased significantly in BPA treated groups. Results from the rabbits from the recovery period indicated that most of the negative effects of BPA seen during the treatment period were transient and did not cause permanent damage in male rabbits. As a result, BPA stimulated the oxidative damage in all of the tissues examined. Paralleled with these damages, various enzymatic parameters were changed negatively. Moreover, spermatological parameters were also affected negatively. In our study, the LOAEL doses of BPA for spermatological and hematological-biochemical parameters were 10 mg/kg/day and 20 mg/kg/day, respectively.