The current work aimed to (1) study the impact of Herbicide Harness® used for weed control on the reproductive performance and thyroid status of maturing tilapia (Oreochromes niloticus) , and (2) examine the potential role of the natural antioxidant lycopene administration in relieving Harness® adverse effects. Maturing male and female tilapia were divided into five experimental groups as follows: group 1 (control) received no treatment, group 2 was exposed to Harness® ( 10 μm /L) , group 3 was supplemented with 10 mg lycopene/kg bodyweight and exposed to 10 μm /L of Harness® , group 4 was exposed to 100 μm Harness®/L, and group 5 was supplemented with 10 mg lycopene/kg body weight exposed to 100 μm Harness®/L, for 2 weeks. Thereafter, blood samples were taken from the four experimental groups and the control fish group; to evaluate biochemical parameters, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). In addition, serum testosterone (T) , estradiol (E2), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4) were detected, also gonadal and thyroid follicles sections were assessed . The results showed that the antioxidants enzyme activity was affected by Harness® exposure as TAC significantly decreased (P > 0.05) , while SOD and CAT activity significantly increased (P > 0.05) when compared to the control. The T and E2 levels for both male and female fish were significantly dropped (P > 0.05 ) in response to Harness® exposure. Adding lycopene supplement returned both SOD and CAT close to the control levels and significantly ( P > 0.05) improved the level of T in both male and females with no influence on E2 levels. F or the thyroid axis, both T3 and T4 levels diminished with the higher dose of Harness® ( 100 μm /L) while lycopene administration returned both T3 and T4 close to the normal levels . Harness® exposure induced number of histological alterations and degenerative changes in testicular, ovarian and thyroid follicles tissues. The findings showed that Harness® induce endocrine disruption for both sex steroids and thyroid axis , while lycopene administration decreased Harness® Oxidative stress, alleviated its endocrine disparaging effects and improving histological configuration of gonadal and thyroid tissues.
Keywords: Lycopene , Gonads, Thyroid follicles, Herbicide Harness®