title: Moxidectin interference on sexual behavior, penile erection and hypothalamic GABA levels of male rats.
abstract: The moxidectin (MXD) is an antiparasitic drug used in domestic animals. The mechanism of action, in mammals, involves GABA, a neurotransmitter with an important role in the sexual behavior control. Presently, the effects of 0.2 mg/kg therapeutic dose were studied on sexual behavior, sexual motivation, penile erection and central GABA levels. Sexual behavior results showed increased latencies to the first mount and intromission as well as in inter-intromission interval; a reduction in total mounts was detected on the drug post-treatment. No difference was observed between sexual motivation of control and experimental animals. MXD treatment reduced penile erection and hypothalamic GABA levels. The results suggest that MXD reduced sexual behavior and penile erection by an action on the hypothalamic GABA system. Probably, the lack of effects in the motivational test and the increased mount and intromission latencies as well as decreased total mounts could be explained as a consequence of reduced male rat erection process.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências e Comportamento, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia S B
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Rodrigues-Alves
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lebrun
authors.forename: Jorge Camilo
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Flório
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Helenice de S
authors.initials: Hde S
authors.lastname: Spinosa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018942:Macrolides / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D018942:Macrolides; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C027837:moxidectin