Keywords: tamoxifen; smultinucleated giant cells; gonadotoxicity; Seminiferous tubules
    
    Abstract
    
    Aim: To evaluate the effect of tamoxifen citrate on male reproductive system of rat. Methods: Groups of male rats were gavaged with tamoxifen at doses of 200 mgkg-1d-1, 400 mgkg-1d-1 or 800 mgkg-1d-1 in 0.1 mL olive oil for 10 consecutive days. Controls were treated with 0.1 mL olive oil. Rats were anesthetized and killed on d 3, d 15 or d 35 after the last dose. Testes were collected, processed for paraffin embedding, sectioned at 5 mm thickness, stained with H&E and analyzed microscopically. Results: There was a dose-dependent increase in the occurrence of seminiferous tubular distortion with germinal cell sloughing. The highest dose increased the number of multinucleated giant cells on d 3 and d 15. Conclusion: Tamoxifen citrate induces multinucleated giant cells and germinal epithelial sloughing in a dose-dependent manner and these changes are detrimental to male fertility.

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