Histomorphological and Biochemical Studies in Ovaries of Female Tatera indica and Bandicota bengalensis Inhabiting South-West Region of Punjab in North India

The Malwa region of Punjab, India is facing an unprecedented crisis of environmental health linked to indiscriminate, excessive and unsafe use of pesticides, fertilizers, and poor groundwater quality. Studies of this region have also highlighted a sharp increase in many other pesticide-related diseases such as mental retardation and reproductive disorders. The present study was designed to examine the adverse effect of environmental contaminants on the female fertility indices in Tatera indica and Bandicota bengalensis inhabiting South-West region of Punjab in North India. Significant decrease in the weight of ovary in Tatera indica and increase in the weight of vagina was observed in female rats Tatera indica and Bandicota bengalensis collected from Bathinda region as compared to the Ludhiana rats. The amount of total proteins, total lipids, phospholipids and cholesterol and the level of various ovarian enzymes like acid phosphates (ACP) and alkaline phosphates (ALP) decreased in ovaries of Bathinda rats. Estradiol and progesterone were also low in all rats collected from Bathinda regions. Chlorpyrifos residues levels were detected in the blood of rats collected from Bathinda district of Punjab. Histological investigation further revealed higher number of atretic follicles in all the stages of follicles in Tatera indica and Bandicota bengalensis rats collected from Bathinda region. The average diameter of all growing follicles were also less in the ovaries of Bathinda rats at P<0.05. From present studies it can be inferred that the alteration in biochemical constituents of ovary and may be due to the reduced synthesis of steroids in the female rats inhabiting Bathinda district of Punjab that can be attributed to pesticides evidenced by their presence in pesticide residue analysis.