Effect of soybean milk for 12 weeks in six-weeks-old male rats′testis,prostate,epididymis,seminal vesicles and testosterone

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether soy milk may cause reproductive disorders and decrease testosterone.METHODS Thirty two six weeks old male rats were divided into 4 groups including control group(non treatment)and three other groups were treated with soy milk powder(7.1,14.2and 21.3g·kg-1)everyday for 90 d.Histopathological examination of testis,epididymis and seminal vesicles were done using HE staining.Blood testosterone levels were assayed by ELISA.RESULTS There were positive correlations between the doses of soy milk with spermatogenesis in the testes,prostate epithelial cell hyperplasia.There were also positively correlation between dose of soy milk with vacuoles forming on epididymal epithelial cells and apoptosis in epithelial cells of seminal vesicles.The blood testosterone levels were not significantly difference between groups.CONCLUSION Subchronically soy milk feeding in rats induce histopathology changes of reproductive organs that closely related to the process of endocrine disruptors.