Integrated Hepatic and Testicular Toxicity Induced by Subchronic Profenofos Exposure in Male Wistar Rats

Organophosphate pesticides remain a significant environmental and health concern due to their widespread use and potential for systemic toxicity. Profenofos, a commonly applied organophosphate insecticide, has been associated with adverse effects beyond cholinesterase inhibition, yet its subchronic impact on metabolic and endocrine organs has not been fully characterized. This study investigated the effects of sub chronic profenofos exposure on hepatic integrity and testicular endocrine function in male Wistar rats using an integrated toxicological approach. Twenty adult male rats were orally administered profenofos at doses of 0, 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg body weight daily for 60 days. Profenofos exposure induced dose-dependent hepatic injury, characterised by vacuolar degeneration, sinusoidal dilation, hepatocellular necrosis, and significant elevations in SGPT and SGOT levels. Concurrently, testicular tissues exhibited progressive degeneration of seminiferous tubules, reduced Leydig-cell density, and a marked decline in testosterone immunoreactivity, indicating impaired steroidogenesis. The parallel structural and functional alterations in both organs support a systemic toxicological response to profenofos. Subchronic oral exposure to profenofos results in integrated hepatic and endocrine toxicity mediated by oxidative stress, metabolic overload, and steroidogenic disruption. By simultaneously evaluating liver and testicular endpoints within a single experimental framework, this study provides novel insight into the systemic nature of profenofos toxicity and underscores the need for comprehensive risk assessment of organophosphate pesticide exposure.