Effect of Sub-Acute Oral Administration of Povidone Iodine on Oxidative Stress, Sperm Parameters, and Histomorphology of the Testis and Epididymis in Wistar

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate the reproductive toxicity of Povidone iodine (PVI) in male Wistar rats.
Sixty male Wistar rats, weighing 150–160 g and ranging from 12–14 weeks, were split into groups
arbitrarily A-D (n=15). Group A served as the control and received 1 mL of distilled water orally,
whereas Groups B, C, and D received graded doses of 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg body weight (bw)
of PVI orally. All administration was done once daily for 10 days. Five (5) rats were randomly
selected from each group at days 3, 5, and 10 for the evaluation of reproductive toxicity. A blood
sample was collected and the serum harvested for the evaluation of Malondialdehyde (MDA),
catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) using a standard protocol. Following the blood
collection, the rats were caringly sacrificed. The testes and epididymides from both the control and
treated groups were removed. The left testes were individually macerated for sperm analysis, while
the right testes and epididymides were fixed and processed for histomorphological evaluation. The
PVI at test doses causes oxidative stress by increasing MDA and decreasing CAT and SOD,
affecting enzyme activities over 3, 5, and 10 days. Sperm motility, concentration, viability, Leydig
cell population, testicular membrane thickness, and epididymal sperm reserves are significantly
reduced. Sub-acute PVI above 250 mg/kg bw impairs male reproductive parameters by inducing
oxidative stress, linked to decreased sperm quality and architecture of the testes and epididymis