Volume 7, Issue 10, October – 2022 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology ISSN No:-2456-2165 IJISRT22OCT708 www.ijisrt.com 2111 DEHP Induced Oxidative Stress Suppress Sperm Quality and Serum Androgen Concentration in Wistar Rats Sunday A. Ogli 1 , Samuel O. Odeh 2 , Moses T. Ashiekaa 3 , Oluwaseyi O. Umogbai 4 1,3,4. Physiology department, College of Health sciences, Benue state University, Makurdi. 2. Physiology department, Faculty of Medical sciences, University of Jos, Plateau state. Corresponding author: Sunday A. Ogli, Physiology department, College of Health sciences, Benue state University, Makurdi. Abstract:- World health organization estimates a global infertility prevalent rate of 10-15%. Male factor constitute about 40-50% of infertility cases. Exposure to environmental pollutants such as di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) adversely affects reproductive system tissue differentiation and functions, thereby potentiating male infertility. This study was designed to investigate the impact of oxidative stress induced by DEHP on some semen parameters, as well as serum androgen concentration in adult Wistar rats. 40 adult male Wistar rats weighing between 156-250g were randomised into 4 experimental groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 (group n=10). Animals in groups 1, 2 and 3 were treated with 0.02mg, 20mg, 200mg oral DEHP/kg bw daily respectively, while those in group 4 served as Control and were treated with the vehicle. All treatments lasted for 60 days. After an overnight fast, samples of semen and serum were obtained for analysis. Results obtained, expressed as mean ± standard deviation, showed that treatment groups exposed to varying doses of oral DEHP had significant (p˂0.05) reduction in sperm count, total sperm motility, active sperm motility, normal sperm morphology, serum testosterone concentration and serum super oxide dismutase units at values of 31.70±18.68x10 6 cells/mL, 38.60±24.78%, 8.50±5.66%, 38.00±18.00%, 9.56±1.34ng/mL and 0.017±0.0013 units respectively. Sluggish sperm motility and abnormal sperm morphology significantly increased to 39.70±13.05% and 68.50±18.42% respectively. Arising from the findings of this study, it is hereby concluded that oral DEHP potentially suppresses spermatogenesis in adult life by induction of oxidative stress and depressing androgen synthesis, thereby impacting negatively on male fertility. Keywords:- Infertility, DI-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate, Oxidative Stress, Semen Quality. I. INTRODUCTION There has been growing concern about declining fertility worldwide. The world health organisation (WHO) fact sheet of 2020 suggest that between 48 million couples and 186 million individuals live with infertility globally; at 15% prevalence rate while in developing countries, the infertility prevalence stands at 25%. Of this figure, 30% is attributable female and male factors alike; 30% and 10% attributed to combine sex factor and unknown factors respectively (1). In Nigeria, male infertility prevalent rate ranges from 25-40% (2), but this figure varies from one part of the country to the other (3). The growing incidence of infertility has generated a great concern in the medical world. In recent times there has been a decline in the semen quality of young healthy men worldwide of non-infective aetiology, with similar findings being reported in Nigeria. This semen quality (indicated by sperm count, motility as well as morphology) decline has significant associations with exposures to heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, mycotoxins such as aflatoxins, pesticides, industrial chemicals and endocrine factors (4). A number of environmental pollutants/toxicants may be classified as environmental factors in the aetiology of infertility. Exposures to environmental toxicants arising from some of these industrial chemicals not only alter spermatogenesis or sperm functions, but are known to inflict diverse reproductive injuries (5). The relationship between male infertility and Di-(2- ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) have been well established, as the latter has been known to be implicated in diverse forms of male gonadotoxicity (6,7). This compound has been identified in the blood, urine and semen of exposed men, affecting semen/spermatozoa quality (8). DEHP, (also known as bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (BEHP) or di-octyl phthalate (DOP)), is an organic, colorless and almost odourless liquid, expressed chemically as C6H4 (C8H17C00)2, with a molecular weight of 390.57 g/mol. It is synthesized by the reaction of phthalic anhydride with 2-ethylhexanol and metabolized by hydrolysis to mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP)/phthalate salt, leading to release of alcohol which can be oxidized to an aldelyde (9). The breakdown products of DEHP may be measured in urine or blood, an indicator of recent exposure to the compound. DEHP is the most common plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or plastic, easily leaching out of PVCs. It is a constituent compound in hydraulic fluids, dielectric fluid in capacitors and as solvent in lipsticks. Given the wide use of PVC, ranging from domestic, industrial to medical uses, there exist a widespread exposure to this compound. Due to its highly hydrophobic character, it leaches (extract) rapidly into non-polar solvents compared to polar solvents like water. This property is both time and use dependent. Evidence suggests the general population is exposed to about 2 mg/day of DEHP (10). The most probable route of this exposure is