This study aimed to characterize the effect of apigenin on the reproductive system in male mice. Adult male mice were treated with intraperitoneal injection of apigenin at the dose levels of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mg/kg.bw, 0.05% DMSO and 0.9% normal saline daily for seven days. Then, testis and epididymis sperms in sperm motility, sperm morphology, the percentages of ploidy cells and seminiferous epithelium cells at the cell-circle phase, and the ratio of ploidy cells were evaluated. The results showed that sperm density significantly reduced in the 25 mg/kg group compared with the solvent control group. The abnormal sperms were mainly amorphous; non-hook sperms took the second largest group; and banana, double-tail and folded-tail sperms were rare. Abnormal sperms were mainly in the head sperm. Moreover, after intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg apigenin, the percentage of 1C population increased, and the percentage of 4C declined, leading to a significant increase of the 1C:4C ratio, compared with the solvent and negative control groups. The percentage of seminiferous epithelium cells at the cell-circle phase of G0/G1 exhibited a significant increase in the 25 mg/kg group compared with the control groups. Taken together, that apigenin has adverse effects on the reproductive system in adult male mice is demonstrated.
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