10th U6+ Consortium of African Universities International Conference

Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen (N-acetyl-para-aminophenol, APAP) is the world’s most used over the-counter analgesic-antipyretic drug. The increasing misuse of acetaminophen as a meat tenderizing agent in the food industry is a public health concern. This study examined the reproductive effects of acetaminophen tenderized meat fed to male swiss albino mice (Mus musculus). Utilizing a free feeding design, 50 albino mice were divided into five groups: one control group receiving standard feed, another control group fed with 60g of meat only diet, and three experimental groups consuming acetaminophen tenderized meat mixed with standard rat feed in the ratio of (40 g:20 g) for 15, 25, and 35 days respectively. The analysis encompassed reproductive hormone profiles (testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in males; estradiol, progesterone, LH, FSH in females), sperm quality parameters, gonadal histology, and organ weights using established analytical techniques. Data obtained were subjected to one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results revealed reproductive disruption with a significant elevation in the testosterone (7.01 ng/mL) level on day 35, and a corresponding reduction in the level of the follicle stimulating hormone (1.96 – 1.99) in the test animals throughout the duration of the study. Sperm quality deteriorated progressively throughout the exposure period, with motility declining from 92% to 79% and morphological abnormalities escalating to 47.78% in the longest exposure group. These sperm abnormalities comprised of folded tails, fused heads, and double head structures. Histological examination of the testes confirmed tissue damage such as mild necrosis of the germ cells, interstitial edema, inflammation, and slight arrest of spermatogenesis. These findings revealed that acetaminophen tenderized meat consumption induced significant reproductive toxicity in male Swiss mice, manifesting through hormonal disruption, and gonadal pathology, thereby suggesting the need for regulatory intervention and public health awareness initiatives to curtail this harmful culinary practice.