High levels of manganese in the diet of rats (Rattus norvegicus albinicus) . I. Effect on reproduction
Corella Vargas, R.
Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutricion 34(3): 457-465
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-0622 PMID: 6544055 Document Number: 226304
The present trial was conducted to obtain more information on the ingestion of diets containing high levels of manganese, and thus, elucidate its toxic effects on animal performance under field conditions. This paper represents a preliminary and systematic laboratory investigation carried out in rats and their offspring. The animals were fed diets with basal Mn levels of 50 ppm (0.91 mM) plus the addition of 0, 500 and 1,000 ppm Mn (on a dry basis) for each group included in the experiment, and observing the appearance of toxic effects up to 7.5 months of treatment. A failure in reproductive performance was noted, as well as in growth and survival of neonates. Histological studies of the testes and ovaries showed a reduction of spermatogenesis, epithelial alterations, atresic follicles, and persistence of corpus luteum, indicative of a disfunction of the sexual glands.