EFFECTS OF AMLODIPINE ON SERUM TESTOSTERONE, TESTICULAR WEIGHT AND GONADO-SOMATIC INDEX IN ADULT RATS
Abstract
Background: Calcium ions are vital in many biological processes including hormonal secretion,mitosis, reproduction, fertility and regulation of gene expression. Thus, calcium antagonists who arefrequently prescribed for the cure of cardiovascular diseases may affect any of these physiologicalprocesses. Methods: This quasi experimental study was done at Army Medical College, Rawalpindifrom October 2007 to March 2008. Thirty male Sprague Dawley rats, purchased from National Instituteof Health, Islamabad were divided into group A (vehicle treated controls) and group B (amlodipinetreated). After receiving drug treatment for 50 days, all the rats were sacrificed. Serum was stored tomeasure testosterone by enzyme immunoassay technique. The testes were removed for measuringabsolute testicular weight and gonado-somatic index. Results: Serum testosterone, absolute testicularweight and gonado-somatic index were found to be significantly reduced in amlodipine treated rats.Conclusion: These results suggest that long term treatment with amlodipine might be associated withsignificant testicular regression and reduction in serum testosterone. Furthermore, since dihydopyridineantagonists are widely used in hypertension, our data may have some clinical implication in themanagement of infertility associated with hypertension.Keywords: adverse effects, calcium channel blocker, amlodipine, testosterone, testis, gonadosomatic indexReferences
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