title: Effect of purine nucleoside analogue-acyclovir on the sperm parameters and testosterone production in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acyclovir (ACV), a synthetic purine nucleoside analogue derived from guanosine, is known to be toxic to gonads and the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ACV on the sperm parameters and testosterone production in rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, forty adult male Wistar rats (220 ± 20 g) were randomly divided into five groups (n=8 for each group). One group served as control and one group served as sham control [distilled water was intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected]. ACV was administered intraperitoneally in the drug treatment groups (4, 16 and 48 mg/kg/day) for 15 days. Eighteen days after the last injection, rats were sacrificed by CO2 inhalation. After that, cauda epididymides were removed surgically. At the end, sperm concentrations in the cauda epididymis, sperm motility, morphology, viability, chromatin quality and DNA integrity were analyzed. Serum testosterone concentrations were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that ACV did not affect sperm count, but decreased sperm motility and sperm viability at 16 and 48 mg/kg dose-levels. Sperm abnormalities increased at 48 mg/kg dose-level of ACV. Further, ACV significantly increases DNA damage at 16 and 48 mg/kg dose-levels and chromatin abnormality at all doses. Besides, a significant decrease in serum testosterone concentrations was observed at 16 and 48 mg/ kg doses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present results highly support the idea that ACV induces testicular toxicity by adverse effects on the sperm parameters and serum level of testosterone in male rats.
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: Elham
authors: E
authors: Movahed
authors: Laboratory of Embryology, Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: Rajabali
authors: R
authors: Sadrkhanlou
authors: Laboratory of Embryology, Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: Abbas
authors: A
authors: Ahmadi
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: Vahid
authors: V
authors: Nejati
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Zamani
keywords: Acyclovir; Antiviral Drugs; Rat; Sperm Parameters; Testosterone