EVALUATION OF THE POTENTIAL TOXIC EFFECTS OF UNAPPROVED MEAT TENDERIZERS ON THE TESTICULAR FUNCTIONS OF MALE ALBINO RATS
Abstract
The increasing use of unapproved chemical agents such as paracetamol, potash, baking soda, and carbonated drinks as meat tenderizers raises public health concerns, particularly regarding their impact on reproductive health. This study investigated the impact of consuming such chemically treated meat on testicular functions in male albino rats using sodium, potassium, total ATPase, Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase, Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-ATPase, NADH dehydrogenase, hexokinase, pyruvate dehydrogenase, and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activity as indices. Thirty-five rats were divided into seven groups and fed treated meat for four weeks. Findings showed that paracetamol, especially in combination with soda, disrupted ATPase activities and ion homeostasis, suggesting potential risks to male reproductive health.
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