Keywords: 
• chlorpyrifos /
• rat /
• oxidative damage /
• testis /
• offspring /
• perinatal exposure

Abstract: Chlorpyrifos is one of the largest used and saled organophosphorus pesticides throughout the world. To explore the testicular oxidative damage of 8 week offspring male rat induced by perinatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, the healthy pregnant Wistar female rats were exposed to chlorpyrifos of 0, 0.75, 1.35 and 2.70 mg·kg^-1 by gavage during GD 6—PND21 d. Until the offspring male rat reached the age of 8 week, histopathological changes of left testis were observed. We also detected the level of MDA and the activity of GST, GSH-Px, and T-SOD in right testis. The results showed that although no statistical significance were observed in body weight, the organ coefficient of testis and epididymis compared with control group, both of them showed a downward trend and of MDA showed an upward trend when the dose increased (P>0.05). The decrease in the activity of T-SOD of all dose groups, the increase of the activity of GSH-Px of 1.35 mg·kg^-1 and 2.70 mg·kg^-1 dose groups and the increase in activity of GST of 2.70 mg·kg^-1 dose group were statistically significant (P<0.05). The histopathological examination indicated that the testis of 2.70 mg·kg^-1 dose group had significant damage. It is found that the semen volume was reduced and exfoliated spermatogenic cell was increased. Chlorpyrifos impaired the balance of antioxidant system, thus induced lipid peroxidation damage to the testis of 8 week rat by maternal exposure during GD 6—PND21 d. It is proposed that chlorpyrifos had potential and long-term toxic effect to male reproductive system by perinatal exposure.