Ivermectin (IVM), natural fermentation product derived from the soil bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis,
is a broad spectrum anthelmintic, insecticide and acaricide. The present study was designed to detect the effect of
therapeutic and double therapeutic dose of ivermectin on liver and kidney function parameters, sperm count and
abnormalities as well as, histopathological alterations on liver, kidney and tests. Thirty male white albino rats were
equally divided into three groups, group (A): control, group (b): have therapeutic dose of ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg
BW/SC), group (C): have double therapeutic dose of ivermectin (0.4 mg/kg BW/SC). The rats were injected once
weekly for eight weeks. In both treated groups a significant increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine
aminotransferase (ALT), urea, uric acid and creatinine were recorded. Albumin and total protein were significantly
decreased than that of the control group. Moreover, significant decrease in total sperm count with significant
increase in sperm abnormality was also demonstrated. Various pathological changes in liver, kidney and tests were
also detected. The severity of these changes varied from mild to severe changes according to the dose as
histopathological changes were more severe in male rats injected with double therapeutic dose than that injected
with the therapeutic one. Following to the present results, the administration of either therapeutic or double
therapeutic dose of ivermectin produced alterations in some biochemical parameters which correlated with
histopathological changes as well as, it has deleterious effect on male fertility. Consequently, it could be concluded
that, it is not preferable to use ivermectin particularly at double therapeutic dose mostly to breading males. |
