Effect of Anticancer Drug Etoposide (VP-16) on Reproductive Organs of Male White Rat

The etoposide (VP-16) is in use as one of the regimen in cyclical chemotherapeutic treatment for several kind of cancer like testicular cancer, small cell bronchogenic carcinoma, malignant lymphoma. Etoposide (VP-16), an anticancer drug, 1mg/kg/day was administered intramuscular for two months. The animals were anaesthetized with ether and excised testis and epididymis for electron microscopic studies. The testicular tissue revealed that the severe atrophic changes, suggestive arrest at the germinal cell level as well as at the Sertoli cell level. The cellular integrity of all is drastically reduced with a severe nuclear alteration also taking place. The observations showed that damage of early spermatogonia and the later stages of spermatogenesis were completely eliminated. The leydig cells revealed state of work induced hypertrophy as is evident from the secretory activity but the organelles show a condition of extreme overburdened state just prior to state of collapse. In conclusion our result shows that adverse effect of etoposide on testis especially on spermatogonia can be distinguished after two months treatment. The electron microscopic features show that it leads towards the male fertility disorder.