Positive effect of green tea extract on reproductive toxicity induced by dimethoate in male mice

BACKGROUND: Dimethoate (DM) is one of the most organophosphorus pesticides used all over the world to control insect pests, the extensive use of this insecticide causes a health hazard to animals and humans. AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the positive effect of green tea extract on sperm quality and testicular cytoarchitecture in male mice treated with DM and on its reproductive performance. METHODS: Mice were divided into three groups, each group contained nine mice, the first group (control) was given distilled water only, the second group received DM at a dose (0.1 ml DM/100 ml distilled water) while the third group was given DM at a dose (0.1 ml DM/ 100 ml distilled water) and the green tea extract at a dose (100 mg/kg). After 20 days of the treatment, six mice from each group were killed, sperm quality (sperm count, morphology motility) and histopathological lesions of testis were evaluated. RESULTS: The results showed that DM significantly affected sperm quality a decrease in sperm motility and an increase in abnormal sperm morphology and caused marked alterations in the microstructures of testicular tissues. When treated males were mated with untreated females, a decline in the number of live embryos was found, while the green tea extract revealed an effective role by reducing those negative influences. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that DM has detrimental effects on sperm quality, testicular tissues, and the embryos, while treatment with green tea revealed a positive role in improving those negative influences of DM without causing any harmful side effects.