Diallylphthalate causes alterations in sperm count and morphometry in the rat

A fourteen-day study was undertaken to assess the effects of diallylphthalate on sperm count and morphometry (head area and tail lengths) of the rat (Fischer-344). Four groups of rats (n = 7) approximately 13 weeks of age were treated (daily oral gavage) with diallylphthalate with corn oil as the vehicle at 0, 37.5, 75.0, and 150.0 mg/kg/day with a dose factor of 10 mL/kg. Sperm numbers were determined with a hemocytometer in duplicate. The morphometric measurements (Sperm head area and tail length) were taken with a C-2 Image Analyze comprised of four principal components (The IBM PC microcomputer, Microscope, Camera, and Image Monitor). There were no significant differences observed in the sperm count and tail lengths between the control and treatment groups. Analyses of the head area measurement data revealed statistically significant differences between the control and treated groups that varied in a dose dependent fashion.