title: Acceleration of sperm transit time and reduction of sperm reserves in the epididymis of rats exposed to sibutramine.
abstract: Sibutramine is a drug globally used for the treatment of obesity. The aim  of this study was to investigate male reproductive disorders caused by  sibutramine in adult rats. Wistar rats were treated for 28 consecutive days  (gavage) with 10 mg/kg of sibutramine. Control animals received only vehicle  (dimethylsulfoxide and saline). The rats were sacrificed for evaluation of  body and reproductive organ weights, sperm parameters, hormone levels  (luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone),  testicular and epididymal histopathology, sexual behavior, fertility and in  vitro contractility of the epididymal duct. Sibutramine decreased (P  < .05) weights of the epididymis and ventral prostate, but not of other  reproductive organs. The sperm number and transit time in the epididymal cauda  were decreased (P < .001), but the daily sperm production was not  altered. Moreover, morphology and sperm motility, histopathology of the testes  and epididymis, sexual behavior, fertility, and serum hormone levels were not  altered by the treatment. Sibutramine increased the potency of norepinephrine  and, per se, increased the mechanical activity of the epididymal duct in  vitro. Thus, although sibutramine in these experimental conditions did not  interfere with the reproductive process of rats, it provoked acceleration of  the sperm transit time and a decrease in the sperm reserves in the epididymal  cauda. This alteration is probably related to the sympathomimetic effect of  this drug, as shown by the in vitro assays. In humans, use of this drug might  present a threat for male fertility because sperm reserves in men are  naturally lower than those in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphology, Institute of Biosciences, UNESP-Univ Estadual Paulista, Distrito de Rubião Jr. s/n, Botucatu, SP-Brazil. kempinas@ibb.unesp.br
authors.forename: Fernanda F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Bellentani
authors.forename: Glaura S A
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: Juliana E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Perobelli
authors.forename: Enio S A
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pacini
authors.forename: Luiz R A
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Kiguti
authors.forename: André S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Pupo
authors.forename: Wilma D G
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Kempinas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; C058254:sibutramine