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. 2015 Mar;13(3):125–134.

Table I.

Histo-pathological and sperm parameters changes reported with Fluoroquinolones

Fluoroquinolones Histopathological and biochemical effects The effects on the sperm parameters and spermatognesis Reference
Ciprofloxacin
  • Sperm cell toxicity

  • Inhibition cell growth

Reduction in sperm motility, production and count* 8
  • Apoptosis in certain eukaryotic cells by mitochondrial pathway

Reduced sperm count and motility* 9
  • Decrease in testicular LDH-X activity *

  • Significant decrease in diameter of the seminiferous tubule *

  • Significantly increased in vein diameter*

  • Significant decrease in testis, epididymis and seminal vesicle weight*

Declined sperm viability** 11
  • Hyperchromatin nuclei of spermatocyt I and sertoli cells and myoid

  • Vacuolation of mitochondria of spermatogonia and spermatocyts cells increasing the thickness of spermatid tail

Decrease in the number of spermatogenic cells in seminiferous tubules* 14
  • Marked decrease in fertility index and testicular weight,

  • Dense PAS reaction in Leydig cell*

  • Decreased numbers of Leydig cellsof connective tissue*

  • Higher numbers of lipid-positive Leydig cells, spermatogonia andspermatocyte cells per ST*

  • Significantly higher numbers of Leydig cells/mm2 with ALP-positive areas*

  • Higher numbers of ALP-positive per streptomycin *

  • Significantly decreased testosterone level*

  • Significantly decreased serum levels of FSH, LH in high dose-treated animals*

Apoptosis in spermatogonia and spermatocytes by TUNEL method 15
  • Significantly decreased testosterone and increased sperm primordial cells time-dependently*

  • Decrease in testis weigh dependent on time in male guinea pig*

Decrease in the number of spermatogonia and spermatocyte cells (PAS reaction)* 16
  • Decreased testicular weight dependent on both dose and time(HD)*

  • Increased n sperm debris dependent on time and dose*

  • Increased sperm morphology changes time-and dose-dependently*

Higher numbers of spermatogonia and spermatocyte cells per ST* 17
  • Significant decrease in SOD (Unit/ mgprotein)*

  • Significant decrease in GST (Unit/ gtissue), GPX (Unit/ gtissue) and SOD (Unit/ gtissue)*

Decreased sperm motility time-dependently* 18
  • Significant decrease in the number and percentage of oocytes, fertilized oocytes, embryos (blastocysts) and arrest type I, Arrest type II, and Arrest type III with HD and LD dose of CPFX**

  • Significant decrease in embryo two cell with HD**

  • Significant increase in Groups Positive Acridine Orange staining (%) and Positive Aniline Blue staining (%) (DNA integrity and chromatin quality) in HD and LD*; with significant decrease between HD and LD in Positive Aniline Blue staining*

Decreased sperm count time-and dose- dependently* 20
Perfloxacin
  • decrease in testicular LDH-X activity *

  • increased sperm primordial cells time-dependently*

Reduction in sperm motility, count and production* 9
  • decrease in testis weigh dependent on time in male guinea pig*

  • decrease in body weight in long-time treatment*

Reduction in sperm motility, count and production* 16
Ofloxacin
  • significant increase in total serum acid phosphatase activity*

decrease in testicular LDH-X activity *
Reduction in sperm motility, count and production * 9
  • decrease in body weight in long time treatment with both high and low doses*

  • decrease in absolute testis weight (g) in long time treatment with both low and low doses*

  • significant decrease in testosterone level, Curve linear velocity, Linear velocity, Linearity index and Sperm normal forms with high dose in long time*

Decreased sperm count and motility in long time for both high and low doses* 10
Enrofloxacin
  • Cytoplasmic vacuolation of Sertoli cells impaired spermatogenesis

  • Nearly complete spermatogenic arrest disorganization and sloughing of germ cells and morphological abnormalities

Decreased sperm motility 12
*

= p<0.05