Pyrethroid pesticides are used preferably over organochlorines and organophosphates
due to their high effectiveness, low toxicity to non-target organisms and easy
biodegradability. Cypermethrin, a type II synthetic pyrethroid pesticide, is widely used
in Egypt in pest control programs in agriculture and in public health as well. The
objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential of cypermethrin
genotoxicity in sperm and to investigate the possible ameliorative effects of vitamin C
and/or E on cypermethrin toxicity. This study was done on semen samples collected
from 10 healthy normozoospermic volunteers. Each semen sample was divided into six
aliquots. One served as control negative aliquot (group I) that was not exposed to any
treatments. The second aliquot (group II) was incubated with 20 mM vitamin C
(ascorbic acid) and 2 mM vitamin E (α-tocopherol). The third aliquot was exposed to
cypermethrin with a dose of 10 μM (group III) for 6 hours at 37°C, while the other
three aliquots (IV, V, VI) were incubated with 20 mM vitamin C, 2 mM vitamin E and
vitamin C & E (20 mM, 2 mM) respectively for 30 min before cypermethrin exposure.
All aliquots were kept at room temperature. Unexposed and exposed aliquots were
analyzed for sperm concentration, motility, and viability according to WHO guidelines.
Hypo-osmotic Swelling (HOS) test and the modified alkaline comet assay were carried
out on the prepared samples. There was statistically significant decrease in parameters
of sperm motion, seminal functions and increase in sperm DNA damage parameters in
cypermethrin group. With addition of antioxidant vitamins C and E either alone or
combined there was statistically significant improvement in all of the parameters of
sperm motion, seminal functions and DNA damage parameters and the maximal
improvement was with the combined vitamin C and E. It could be concluded that
cypermethrin can alter sperm function and induce genotoxic effect on sperms in vitro
and that the antioxidant vitamins (C and E) might be useful in antagonizing the toxic
effects of cypermethrin on sperm.