Alpha-chlorohydrin effects on the epididymis of adult albino rat: A histological and immunohistochemical study

α-Chlorohydrin (ACH) is a well-known food contaminant, has shown anti-fertility activity in males. In this research we studied the histological and immunohistochemical changes in the epididymis of adult albino rat. Twenty adult male albino rats were divided into control (group 1) (10 rats) and experimental (groups 2 and 3) (10 rats). The experimental rats received α-chlorohydrin at a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. After 6 h (group 2) and 24 h (group 3) of ACH treatment, the specimens were submitted for the light, electron microscopic and β-tubulin immunohistochemical evaluations. Light microscopy after 6 h showed focal separation of lining epithelium, while EM examinations showed dilated rER, and Golgi complex. After 24 h LM demonstrated different stages of cell exfoliation; however, EM proved multilamellar bodies and dilated rER besides the granules. Immunohistochemical examinations revealed decreased reactions in experimental groups. However, the mean total optical density of the β-tubulin immunostaining revealed statistical nonsignificant difference between the three groups. Thus ACH as an undesirable unavoidable food contaminant induced rapid histological alterations on caput epididymis with duration-dependent manner at the level of the cell and tissue, that puts another obstacle on the road of fertility.