Aim: To investigate the toxic effect of a single injection of the organophosphorous agropesticide, parathion, on spermatogenesis in immature male mice. Methods: Seven-day old mice received a single injection of parathion intraperitoneally at a dose of 1/3 LD50. The epididymal sperm count, sperm morphology and chromatin thermal stability were analyzed 28 and 50 days after injection. Results: Sperm counts were decreased and teratozoospermia and thermal denaturation of DNA increased after parathion injection. Sperm parameters were changed to a greater extent in younger animals, denoting a higher lability of spermatogenic process at its beginning. The damages could recover a long time after parathion administration. Conclusion: Organophosphorous agropesticides are testicular toxicants, eliciting reversible cytotoxic and cytogenetic alterations in germ cells.

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