Fig. 4

Effect of selected psychoactive drugs on testicular histoarchitecture. A-B) Codeine-treated rabbits showed distorted testicular architecture. The seminiferous tubules showed thickened propria indicative of cessation of spermatogenesis (black arrow). There are vacuolation, sloughed germ cells, maturation arrest, and reduced mature sperm cells within the tubular lumen (red circle). There is evidence of vascular congestion (black circle and red arrow). The leydig cells appear reduced (green arrow). (Photomicrographs are from our laboratory-published: [12]. Plate C1a and 1b are the original and pseudo images respectively of the testicular histoarchitecture of vehicle-treated control rats compared with those of codeine-treated rats (C2a and 2b) showing p53 expression. Codeine treatment led to significantly increased p53 expression. Also, plate D1a and 1b are the original and pseudo images respectively of the testicular histoarchitecture of vehicle-treated control rats compared with those of codeine-treated rats (C2a and 2b) showing Bcl-2 expression. Codeine treatment led to marked reduction in Bcl-2 expression. These findings are suggestive of codeine-induced apoptosis. (Photomicrographs are from our laboratory-published: [8]. E) Rohypnol treatment led to degeneration of seminiferous tubules (black circle) and germ cells (black arrow), with widened interstitial space. (Photomicrograph is from our laboratory-In Press, [9]. F) Methamphetamine caused degeneration of germ cells and reduced mature sperm cells in the tubular lumen (black circle). It also led to vascular congestion within the interstitial space (black arrow). (Photomicrograph is from our laboratory-unpublished)