title: The effect of flutamide on the physical working capacity and activity of some of the key enzymes for the energy supply in adult rats.
abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the effects of androgen receptor antagonists on the physical working capacity and activity of some of the key muscle enzymes for the energy supply in rats. Young adult male Wistar rats were divided into two groups. One group received 15 mg kg-1 of flutamide daily for 6 days a week and the other group served as control for 8 weeks. At the beginning and at the end of the experiment, all rats were subjected to submaximal running endurance (SRE), maximum time to exhaustion (MTE), and maximal sprinting speed (MSS) tests. At the end of the trial, maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) test was performed and the levels of testosterone, erythrocytes, hemoglobin as well as enzyme activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and NAD.H2-cytochrome-c reductase (NAD.H2) of the gastrocnemius muscle were measured. Serum testosterone of the flutamide-treated rats was higher than that of the controls, which verifies the effectiveness of the dose chosen. MTE and SRE of the anti-androgen-treated group were lower compared with the initial values. Flutamide treatment decreased the activity of SDH and NAD.H2 compared with the controls. We found no effect of the anti-androgen treatment on MSS, VO2max, running economy, LDH activity, and hematological variables. Our findings indicate that the maintenance of the submaximal and maximal running endurance as well as the activity of some of the key enzymes associated with muscle oxidative capacity is connected with androgen effects mediated by androgen receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Katerina N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Georgieva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Penka A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Angelova
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Fani D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Gerginska
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Dora D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Terzieva
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Drug Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Mihaela S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shishmanova-Doseva
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Slavi D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Delchev
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv 4000, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Valentine V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Vasilev
mesh_terms: D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D005485:Flutamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D013739:Testosterone; D005485:Flutamide