Effects of Ribavirin on Thickness of Testicular Capsule in Albino Rats

Abstract

Background and Objective: Ribavirin (RBV), due to its mutagenic property, exerts cytotoxic effects on the testicular seminiferous tubules and its interstitium in various experimental animals. However, no study was done on the morphology of testicular capsule. Therefore, the present experimental study is designed to observe the transient effects of RBV in different doses on the testicular capsule thickness in albino rats.Methods: A total of 72 sexually mature adult male albino rats were divided into four groups: A (control) and, B, C, D where RBV was administered intraperitoneally for 5 days in different doses (20, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight, respectively). Group received distilled water intraperitoneally. Each group was further divided into three subgroups according to three sacrificial time points that were 20th, 40th, and 60th day from the last exposure to drug. Randomly selected rats from each group were sacrificed on every time point. Histological slides were prepared and changes were observed microscopically.Results: On 20th sacrificial day, the increase in the thickness of capsules was seen in all groups with subcapsular edema in comparison to control group (p < 0.001). After discontinuation of drug, histological evidence of recovery in the form of decrease in the thickness of capsule with decrease in subcapsular edema were observed in low dose groups on 40th and 60th sacrificial days as compared to high dose groups which showed late recovery on both time points (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The testicular capsular thickening induced by RBV is reversible after cessation of treatment.