Possible role of prolactin in the induction of hypogonadism by chronic alcohol treatment in the male rat.
Treatment of adult male rats with ethanol for a period of six weeks resulted in a numerical but not significant increase in plasma prolactin levels together with a reduction in plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) levels. Although basal plasma testosterone (T) levels were not affected in ethanol-treated animals, testicular weight was reduced and seminiferous tubules exhibited signs of atrophy. The responses of LH to luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and T to hCG were significantly impaired in ethanol-treated rats (p less than 0.01). Treatment with bromocriptine (1 mg/kg body weight/day), resulted in the expected decrease in plasma levels of prolactin and an increase in basal plasma LH levels to the levels found in control groups. Basal plasma T levels were not affected by bromocriptine. However, both plasma LH responses to LHRH and plasma T responses to hCG were significantly improved by bromocriptine treatment in alcoholic rats and became similar to the responses measured in control animals. The results suggest that bromocriptine-induced suppression of prolactin release has a beneficial effect on ethanol-induced hypogonadism.
Fermoso
J
J
Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Clinico, Facultad de Medicina, Salamanca, Spain.
Esquifino
A I
AI
Mateos
A
A
Agrasal
C
C
Martin
I
I
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D001971:Bromocriptine; D013739:Testosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone