Carbimazole is an antithyroid drug used in treatment of hyperthyroidism. Treating rats with carbimazole (1.35 mg/kg BW) daily for 8 weeks caused many ultrastructural changes in the testis. Sertoli cells appeared degenerated with irregular cell membrane and many cytoplasmic vacuoles. The spermatocytes showed irregular cell membrane and crescent-shaped spaces and mitochondria were swollen and lost their cristae. Spherical spermatids appeared with large number of cytoplasmic vacuoles and degenerated mitochondria. The interstitial tissue degenerated and contained degenerated Leydig cells with irregular nuclear membranes, many fat droplets, degenerated mitochondria and cytoplasmic vacuoles. Selenium is an essential element in many biochemical and physiological processes. Administration of carbimazole and sodium selenite (10 μg/kg BW) daily for 8 weeks led to an improvement in the ultrastructural abnormalities induced in the testis by carbimazole. It is suggested that the curative effect of selenium may be due to its antioxidant properties.
Key words: Carbimazole, Selenium, Testis, Ultrastructure.
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