본 연구에서는 수컷 랫드에 DEHP를 투여하여 실험적으로 생식 독성을 유발하고, vitamin E와 catechin을 단독 및 병용 투여하여 수컷 랫드에서 정소의 조직학적 변화, 정액 특성의 변화 및 정자의 운동성 변화 등을 조사하여 그 예방 효과를 알아보고자 하였다. DEHP를 투여한 군은 대조군에 비해 정자농도, 정자 생존율, 정상 정자율이 감소하였다. DEHP에 의한 생식 독성을 예방하기 위해 vitamin E와 catechin을 단독 또는 병행 투여한 결과, DEHP를 투여한 군에 비하여 정자 농도, 정자 생존율, 정상 정자율이 증가하였다. 이러한 결과를 종합해 볼 때, catechin과 vitamin E의 투여는 DEHP에 의한 생식 독성을 예방하는 효과가 있는 것으로 사료된다.
The purpose of the present study was to determine the preventive effects of the two antioxidant vitamin E and catechin on DEHP-induced disturbance of spermatogenesis in male rats. Rats at 4 weeks of age were randomly allocated into five groups with 20 animals per group. The first group was not any administrated as control. The second group was administrated DEHP (2 g/kg) daily for 14 days. The third group was administrated vitamin E (500 IU/kg) following DEHP treatment by the same method (daily for 14 days). The fourth group was administrated catechin (200 mg/kg) following DEHP treatment by the same method. The fifth group was co-administrated vitamin E (500 IU/kg) and catechin (200 mg/kg) following DEHP treatment by the same method. In order to determine the preventive effects, we examined pathological changes of testis with apoptotic index, and characteristics of sperm with computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA). Vitamin E and catechin supplementation were significantly prevented the testicular atrophy, apoptosis of germ cells in the seminiferous tubules and abnormal rate of sperm. Moreover, sperm concentration, viability and motility was significantly recovered in groups of alone and along with vitamin E and catechin. The results suggest that preventive effects of alone and along administration of vitamin E and catechin on DEHP-induced testicular atrophy damages have been demonstrated.
