Efficacy of Ascorbic Acid in Reducing Glyphosate-Induced Toxicity in Rats

Aim: Humans and animals interact with their environments on a daily basis and, as a consequence, are exposed to a broad spectrum of synthesized chemicals present in the food they eat, the air they breathe and the water they drink including glyphosate. This study was aimed at investigating the effects of glyphosate on the sperm dynamics of male albino rats and the protective effects of ascorbic acid.
Methods: Twenty five mature male albino rats were weighed and divided into five groups in a completely randomized design (CRD). Group 1 rats served as the control. Rats in groups 2 and 4 received 250ml/kg and 500ml/kg of glyphosate while groups 3 and 5 rats were administered with 250ml/kg and 500ml/kg of glyphosate and 200mg/kg of ascorbic acid, respectively, which were administered orally using oral gavages. The treatment regimen lasted for 65 days.
Results: Our results showed that there were significant adverse effects (P<0.05) of glyphosate treatment on sperm parameters and the cyto-architecture of the gonad, which showed disruption in the seminiferous tubules, necrotic germinal epithelium and clumped Leydig cells. However, administering the rats with ascorbic acid caused significant ameliorating effects on the parameters investigated.
Conclusion: Succinctly, glyphosate exposure to animals is detrimental to their reproductive physiology, including the cellular integrity of the gonads. This not notwithstanding, administering the affected animals with ascorbic acids might reduce the toxicity inflicted by the glyphosate.