Morphometric study of the corpus cavernosum after anabolic androgenic steroid administration in pubertal and adult rats.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the penile morphological modifications of pubertal and adult rats chronically treated with supra-physiological doses of anabolic androgenic steroids.


METHODS
Forty-eight male Wistar rats were distributed into four groups: two control groups, 105- and 65-day-old (C105 and C65, respectively) injected with peanut oil (vehicle); and two treated groups, 105- and 65-day-old (T105 and T65, respectively) injected with nandrolone decanoate at a dose of 10 mg Kg-1 of body weight. The rats were injected once a week for eight weeks. The rats were then killed and their penises were processed for histomorphometric analyses. The mean of each parameter was statistically compared.


RESULTS
A corpus cavernosum reduction of 12.5% and 10.9% was observed in the T105 and T65 groups, respectively, when compared with their respective control groups. The cavernosum smooth muscle surface density diminished by 5.6% and 12.9% in the T65 and T105 groups, respectively, when compared with their controls. In contrast, the sinusoidal space increased by 17% in the T105 group and decreased by 9.6% in the T65 group.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of supra-physiological doses of AAS promotes structural changes in the rat penis, by altering the proportions of corpus cavernosum tissues, in both pubertal and adult treated animals.
Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Alessandro de Sousa Mendes de
Ade S
Sena
Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Rafael Areas
RA
Vargas
Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Diogo Benchimol de
DB
Souza
Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Waldemar Silva
WS
Costa
Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Francisco José
FJ
Sampaio
D000367:Age Factors; D045930:Anabolic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D009277:Nandrolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077603:Nandrolone Decanoate; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000187:drug effects; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
D045930:Anabolic Agents; D000728:Androgens; D013256:Steroids; D009277:Nandrolone; D003094:Collagen; D000077603:Nandrolone Decanoate