EFFECTS OF ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION ON GROWTH, BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE AND DEVELOPMENT OF TESTIS AND EPIDIDYMIS IN MALE WISTAR RAT

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Date
2017
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Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu
Abstract
The study was conducted on 72 weaned Wistar male rats for 8 weeks from 4 to 12 weeks of age and they were divided into 3 groups as control: rats fed diet without zinc supplementation, T1 and T2: rats fed diet containing zinc sulphate @ 50mg and 100mg/kg body weight/day, respectively. Body weight was measured from 3 to 12 weeks of age. Blood samples were collected on 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of zinc supplementation and different parameters viz plasma enzymes, oxidative enzymes, zinc and hormones were studied. After blood collection, each rat was sacrificed, testis and epididymis were collected and different biometrical parameters were recorded. Tissue pieces from testes and epididymidis (caput, corpus and cauda) were processed and stained for different micrometrical and histological studies. Significantly higher (P<0.01) body weight, enzymes (ALT, AST and ALP), zinc and hormone (T3, T4 and Testosterone) levels were found in zinc-supplemented groups as compared to control. Body weight, ALT, AST, ALP, ACP, T3, T4 and testosterone concentrations were found higher in T1 than T2 group. With advancing age, body weight, enzymes and hormones showed increasing trend in all the groups; whereas plasma zinc levels showed increasing trend only in Zn-supplemented groups. Oxidative enzymes viz SOD, GPx, G-s-T, CAT and LPO activities showed decreasing trend in T1 group, whereas increasing trend was observed in T2 group as age advanced; no such increasing or decreasing trend observed in control, except LPO activities, which showed increasing trend. Testicular and epididymal dimensions (biometry & micrometry) showed increasing trend from 6 to 12 weeks of age in all groups and were found significantly higher (P<0.01) in Zn-supplemented groups than control at different ages. Increased biometrical parameters of testes of T1 as compared to T2 in later phase of Zn-supplementation (10 and 12 weeks). Higher values in T1 were found for epididymal biometry and micrometrical (testicular and epididymal) studies. Histological study revealed earlier development of functional germ cells in zinc-supplemented rats as compared to control. Earlier development of functional germ cells could be achieved by supplementation of zinc @ 50mg/kg b.wt/day (T1) and this proved to be a better choice than zinc @ 100mg/kg body wt/day (T2) in growing rats.
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