[Effect of selective 5alpha-reductase inhibitor or/and testosterone undecanoate on the reproductive function of male rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether 5alpha-reductase inhibitor and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) play a role in spermatogenesis in male rats.


METHODS
Thirty-two male rats were divided into 4 groups (Groups C, T, F and FT). Group C received plant oil injection and oral starch perfusion, Group T testosterone undecanoate (TU, 20 mg/kg) injection and oral starch perfusion, Group F plant oil injection and oral Finasteride perfusion, and Group FT TU (20 mg/kg) injection and oral Finasteride perfusion. Data on serum T and DHT, sperm count, sperm mobility and reproductive function were collected and analysed.


RESULTS
(1) 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, Finasteride and TU reduced the weight of the testis and epididymis in the experiment groups compared with the negative control (Group C), but TU increased the weight of the prostate while Finasteride decreased it compared with the positive control (Group T). TU combined with Finasteride could counteract the effect of the weight increase of the prostate, but not that of the testis. (2) Finasteride, or Finasteride combined with TU, reduced the DHT but increased the testosterone level in comparison with the control group. (3) Both Finasteride and TU could inhibit epididymal sperm count and reproductive function compared with the control, but the effect was less significant in Group FT than in Group F.


CONCLUSIONS
High dosages of 5alpha-reductase inhibitor, Finasteride, can suppress male reproductive function, but the inhibiting effect could be counteracted by administration of 5alpha-reductase inhibitor along with TU.
Jia
Yue
Y
Department of Endocriology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China.
Cue
Yu-gui
YG
Wang
Xiao-dong
XD
Wang
Xing-hai
XH
Tong
Jian-sun
JS
Ma
Ding-zhi
DZ
Cai
Rui-fen
RF
Di
Fu-song
FS
D000818:Animals; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018120:Finasteride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone; D018120:Finasteride; D042944:Cholestenone 5 alpha-Reductase; C010792:testosterone undecanoate