title: The effect of sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine and escitalopram on testicular tissue and oxidative stress parameters in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on testicular tissue and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 male Wistar albino rats, 5.5-6 months old, were equally divided at random into five groups: group 1 was the control group, group 2 received sertraline 10mg/kg (p.o), group 3 was administered fluoxetine 10mg/kg (p.o), group 4 received escitalopram 10mg/kg (p.o), and group 5 (n = 8) was administered paroxetine 20mg/kg. Each dose was administered orally for two months. Johnsen's criteria were used to categorize spermatogenesis. Johnsen's method assigns a score of 1 to 10 to each tubule cross-section examined. In this system, a Johnsen score of 9 and 10 indicates normal histology. Serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone levels were evaluated. Serum MDA levels were also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean Johnsen scores were 9.36 ± 0.33, 9.29 ± 0.32, 8.86 ± 0.48, 9.10 ± 0.56, and 8.33 ± 0.90 in control group, sertraline group, fluoxetine group, escitalopram group, and paroxetine group, respectively. The Johnsen score was significantly lower for paroxetine group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The mean FSH level increased only in the sertraline group. With the exception of the fluoxetine group, the testosterone levels were lower in all groups compared with the control group. The total testosterone level was significantly lower in the sertraline group compared with the control group [40.87 (22.37-46.8) vs. 15.87 (13.53-19.88), p < 0.01]. There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to the MDA and LH levels (p = 0.090 and p = 0.092).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that SSRIs have a negative effect on testicular tissues. This negative impact is markedly greater in the paroxetine group. To determine the exact mechanism of action of these drugs on testicular tissue, well-designed randomized controlled clinical studies are needed on a larger population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gaziosmanpasa University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Erdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gaziosmanpasa University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dogan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atilgan
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gaziosmanpasa University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Firat
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Gaziosmanpasa University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Markoc
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Gaziosmanpasa University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bekir Suha
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Parlaktas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Gaziosmanpasa University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Erkan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sogut
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000494:pharmacology; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D005473:Fluoxetine; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline; D013739:Testosterone