Effects of oral exposure to silver nanoparticles on the sperm of rats

Reprod Toxicol. 2016 Apr:60:133-9. doi: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2016.02.007. Epub 2016 Feb 16.

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that exposure to silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can induce toxicological effects in rodents. In this study, we investigated whether sub-chronic oral exposure to different doses of polyvinil pyrrolidone (PVP)-coated AgNPs (PVP-AgNPs) (50, 100 and 200mg/kg/day) could induce harmful effects on epididymal sperm rat parameters. Sperm motility, viability and morphology were examined. Moreover, a histological evaluation of testis and epididymis was also performed. High doses of PVP-AgNPs showed higher sperm morphology abnormalities, while a progressive, but not significant effect, was observed in other sperm parameters. The current results suggest that oral sub-chronic exposure to PVP-AgNPs induces slight toxicological effects in sperm rat parameters.

Keywords: Epididymis; Reproductive toxicity; Silver nanoparticles; Sperm.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Epididymis / anatomy & histology
  • Epididymis / drug effects
  • Male
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry
  • Metal Nanoparticles / toxicity*
  • Povidone / chemistry
  • Povidone / toxicity*
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Silver / chemistry
  • Silver / toxicity*
  • Sperm Count
  • Sperm Motility / drug effects
  • Spermatozoa / abnormalities
  • Spermatozoa / drug effects*
  • Spermatozoa / physiology
  • Testis / anatomy & histology
  • Testis / drug effects

Substances

  • Silver
  • Povidone