Pubertal anabolic androgenic steroid exposure in male rats affects levels of gonadal steroids, mating frequency, and pregnancy outcome

Siti Syairah Mohd Mutalip; Aishah Mohd Shah; Mashani Mohamad; Vasudevan Mani; Siti Nooraishah Hussin; Gurmeet Kaur Surindar Singh

doi:10.1515/jbcpp-2017-0207

Article

Pubertal anabolic androgenic steroid exposure in male rats affects levels of gonadal steroids, mating frequency, and pregnancy outcome

Siti Syairah Mohd Mutalip , Aishah Mohd Shah , Mashani Mohamad , Vasudevan Mani , Siti Nooraishah Hussin and Gurmeet Kaur Surindar Singh

Published/Copyright: August 3, 2018

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From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 30 Issue 1

Abstract

Background

Testosterone, nandrolone, and stanozolol are among the highly consumed anabolic androgenic steroids (AASs). Although the desired effects of AAS are being achieved by the abusers, unfortunately, this leads to numerous physical and physiological side effects. The present study was designed to investigate and determine whether early pubertal exposure to AAS treatment had detrimental effects on blood testosterone and estradiol concentrations, mating behavior, and pregnancy outcome during the pubertal period in male rats.

Materials

Early pubertal rats (PND41) were given two doses (2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg) each of testosterone, nandrolone, and stanozolol subcutaneously for 6 weeks. Upon completion, three rats with the highest weight were chosen from each group for mating with the females, in a ratio of one male to two females for 10 days. After 10 days, all male rats were sacrificed to obtain the testes for weight recording, and blood samples were collected for testosterone and estradiol quantitation. Pregnant females were housed separately until birth, and the number of offsprings produced was counted.

Results

The results clearly show a reduction in reproductive hormonal and behavioral parameters between testosterone and nandrolone, and testosterone and stanozolol. Stanozolol administration exhibited suppressing effects in all parameters including testicular weight deterioration, serum testosterone and estradiol reduction, low mating preferences, and declined pregnancy outcome.

Conclusions

AAS exposure during the onset of puberty results in reproductive detrimental effects, which are postulated to affect the pregnancy rate.

Keywords: gonadal steroids; mating; nandrolone; pregnancy; stanozolol; testosterone

Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysia, through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS Grant) (600RMI/ST/FRGS 5/3/Fst (70/2010)). Thus, we would like to express our deepest appreciation to MOSTI, Research Management Institute (RMI), UiTM Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, and also to the members of Faculty of Pharmacy, UiTM Puncak Alam, Selangor, Malaysia, for all the support and assistance given from the very beginning stages of this study until it was successfully completed.

Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS Grant) 600-RMI/ST/FRGS 5/3/Fst (70/2010).
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.

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Received: 2017-12-04

Accepted: 2018-05-23

Published Online: 2018-08-03

Published in Print: 2018-12-19

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https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2017-0207

Keywords for this article

gonadal steroids; mating; nandrolone; pregnancy; stanozolol; testosterone