title: The effect of ketoconazole on fertility of male rats.
abstract: The effect of ketoconazole on the fertility of male rats was evaluated. Three days of oral dosing with ketoconazole at 200 mg/kg reduced fertility compared to controls. A complete loss of fertility was observed after doses of 400 mg/kg. There was no change in the testicular weight, epididymal sperm concentration or epididymal weight between the control and treatment groups. Motility was reduced in the high-dose group and forward progression was reduced in both dosing groups compared to control. These data support previous observations in the dog and primate that orally administered ketoconazole alters sperm viability. Although ketoconazole is too toxic for contraceptive application, its derivatives may be useful for this purpose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois, Chicago.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Waller
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Vickery
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zaneveld
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004822:Epididymis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D007654:Ketoconazole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D007654:Ketoconazole