Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: To study the effects of acephate on oxidative damage and ovarian function in female rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats veceived oral acephate at 0, 11.81, 23.63, 47.25 mg/kg once daily for 30 days. The positive control group was treated with estradiol (0.1mg/kg) by peritoneal injection. The estrous cycle, SOD, MDA, GSH, GST and the histomorphology changes of ovaries were evaluated. RESULTS: In high dosage group the estrous cycle was significantly prolonged compared to negative control group (P<0.05). In the serum, SOD activities of acephate-treated rats were significantly increased compared with that of negative group, but the contents of GSH and GST activities were reduced(P<0.05). The levels of MDA in serum were significantly increased in middle and high dosage groups compared to negative group(P<0.05). In the ovaries, SOD activities of acephate-treated rats were significantly reduced, but GST activities significantly increased compared with those of negative group(P<0.05). In addition, the content of MDA in high dosage group was significantly higher than that of negative group, and the level of GSH in low dosage group was lower than that of negative group(P<0.05). Pathology slices showed increased counts of primordial follicles and primary follicles, while the counts of secondary follicle and mature follicle was decreased in high dosage group. In addition, there were more atretic follicles. CONCLUSION: Acephate had obvious reproductive toxicity on female rats. At the dosage of 47.25mg/kg, it could induce estrous cycle disorders, some pathologic changes in the ovaries, and inhibit the activities of antioxidase and resulting in lipid peroxidation.

Key words: acephate, female rat, ovaries