The reproductive toxicity of
propoxur (2-isopropoxy-phenyl-N-methylcarbamate), a
carbamate pesticide, was investigated in adult male Wistar rats exposed to 0, 1.73, 2.6, and 5.2 mg/kg
body weight/day for 90 successive days. Results obtained from this study showed a significant (p < 0.05) concentration-dependent increase in food consumption, relative weights of testis, epididymis and kidneys with maximum effects observed at the highest dose of
propoxur (5.2 mg/kg) compared to the control. On the contrary, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the
body weight gain, sperm density, serum and intratesticular total
cholesterol concentrations, and intratesticular total
proteins in rats treated with
propoxur at the dose of 5.2 mg/kg
body weight.
Propoxur had no significant effect on gestation, fertility and parturition indices, average
birth weight, litter size and pups sex ratio of untreated female rats mated with treated males rats. These results suggested that
propoxur increased food consumption, relative weight of reproductive and detoxication organs, decreased
body weight gain and sperm density per gram of cauda epididymis without affecting the reproductive performances.