Background: Infertility has been increased due to continuous exposure to chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides in our life. Atrazine is one of the most common used herbicide worldwide.
Aim: to show the toxic effect of atrazine on histological structure of ovaries of adult female albino rats.
Methods: 40 female adult rats were divided into 4 groups; control A group, control B group, Low dose treated group (administrated 6.5 mg atrazine/kg/day) for 30 days and High dose treated group (administrated 65 mg atrazine/kg/day) for 14 days. Atrazine was dissolved in distilled water and was administrated by oral gavage. Body weight was measured at start and at end of the study. Rats were sacrificed. Their ovaries were collected and processed to be examined histopathologically.
Results: There was significant decrease in final body weight of treated groups as compared to control groups. Ovaries of exposed groups showed destructive changes as atretic follicles and vacuolated corpora lutea. Decreased body weight and vascular changes were obvious in high dose treated more than low dose treated group. Area percentage of fibrosis significantly increased in treated groups as compared to control group. This increase was more obvious in low dose treated group for long period as compared to high dose treated group for short period.
Conclusion: Atrazine has destructive effects on the ovarian structure of adult female albino rats which were more prominent in high doses for short period except for fibrosis which was more prominent in low doses for long period.