Altered male reproduction in rats exposed perinatally to biochanin-A

Phytoestrogens are the plant extract compounds, primarily isoflavones that mimic or modulate endogenous estrogens, usually by binding to estrogen receptors. Biochanin- A (BC-A) is an isoflavone found in redclover and is a selective agonist of estrogen receptor-B(ER-B) and have the capacity to alter functioning of male reproduction. The present study focused on the changes of reproduction in male rats exposed to BC-A during the perinatal period. Normal adult male and female rats were co-habitated and the pregnant female ratswere injected with 25mg, 50mg and 100 mg BC-A/Kg body weight on window period 12 th , 14 th , 16 th and 18 th day. Rats were allowed to deliver the pups and the BC-A exposure was continued up to weaning period. After weaning male and female pups were separated and maintained in separate cages in a dose wise manner. To check the reproductive performance of adult males (90 days old) exposed perinatally to BC-A are co-habited with sexually mature normal females. Female rats were sacrificed by cervical dis-location and autopsy was performed on 8 th and 19 th day of gestation. Uterus and ovaries were examinedfor the numbers of corpora lutea, implantations, dead, live foetuses, resorptions andfetal weight. Significant increase was noticed in the conception time, pre and post implantation loss (p < 0.0001) and decrease in the number of implantations (p < 0.0001). Further observed significant decrease in fertility rate as measured by counting numbers oflive fetuses (p < 0.005) and resorptions (p < 0.05) in the females mated with males exposed to BC-A. Females mated with BC-A exposed males were shown significant reduction (p < 0.0001) in resorptions, and significant decrease (p < 0.05) in fetal weight and number of live fetusesper rat. The present study elucidated the significance of perinatal BC-A exposure on male reproductive health.