title: Propranolol stimulates testicular interstitial fluid formation and testosterone secretion in rats.
abstract: We investigated the effect of intratesticularly injected propranolol on testicular interstitial fluid (TIF) formation and on testosterone levels in the TIF of intact adult male Wistar rats (4-9 rats per group). dl-propranolol at doses of 0.6, 1.2, or 6.0 mg/kg was injected into the left (L) testis whereas the right (R) testis (control testis) received vehicle. dl-propranolol (6.0 mg/kg) caused a significant increase in both TIF volume (329%) and TIF levels of testosterone (257%) in the L testis but not in the R (control) testis 3 h post-injection. In rats treated simultaneously with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, 5 IU/rat, sc) the same dose or propranolol (6.0 mg/kg) significantly increased the stimulatory effect of hCG on testosterone secretion by 1.8-fold, but hCG did not modify the stimulatory effect of propranolol on TIF volume. These results demonstrate a direct stimulatory effect of propranolol on TIF volume and testosterone secretion, both under basal and hCG-stimulated conditions.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Piauí Teresina, Brasil.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Udrisar
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Wanderley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects; D007985:Leydig Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone; D011433:Propranolol