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Abstract
Objective: Effect of vitamin C (VC) on gasoline vapor (GV)-induced reproductive toxicity was assessed in female rats using the serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) as well as the histopathology of the ovarian tissues. Materials and Methods: The rats exposed to GV were treated orally with 200mg/kg b.w of VC, daily for 10 weeks.
Results: The results showed that GV significantly reduced (p<0.05) serum progesterone and estradiol levels, distorted the architectural integrity of the ovarian tissues, without any significant effect on FSH and LH levels in the test rats compared to the non-exposed controls. Therefore, the exposure to GV induced reproductive toxicity in female rats. However, the GV-induced distorted architectural integrity of the ovarian tissues and serum progesterone and estradiol levels were significantly reversed (p<0.05) to higher levels within the control range, while FSH and LH levels were only insignificantly higher in VC-treated exposed animals, compared to the non-treated exposed group.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that VC was able to ameliorate the toxicity effect of GV on female reproductive functions in rats. From the observations made in this study, it may be concluded that VC may be used to prevent and/or reverse GV-induced reproductive toxicity in females.