TESTICULAR MORPHOLOGY OF ALBINO RAT
WITHDRAWAL EFFECTS OF CHRONIC ANDROGENIC ANABOLIC STEROID
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29309/TPMJ/2016.23.03.1486Keywords:
androgenic anabolic steroids – testis - testicular hormones - ratsAbstract
Withdrawal effects of chronic androgenic anabolic steroid on hormonal and
testicular morphology were studied .Forty five male albino rats were divided into 1) Control 2)
Chronic group and 3) Withdrawal group. Testoviron was injected at a dose of 400mg/kg body
weight intramuscularly once in two weeks for 14 weeks, and then drug was withdrawan for
another 14 weeks. Testes were removed and fixed in 10% formalin and processed. Following
withdrawal of AAS, testicular and relative testicular weight was restored to control. Increased
tubular count also returned near to normal while decreased diameter of seminiferous tubules,
thickness of germinal epithelium, count and diameter of leydig cells were also restored near
to normal in withdrawal group when compared with the chronically treated group. Histological
observations also revealed that degenerated spermatogenic cells were returned to their normal
appearance and oedematous vacuoles were reduced. Moreover, decreased level of reproductive
hormones, i.e. FSH, LH and testosterone also returned to control level in withdrawal group.
These results indicated that chronic AAS has substantial harmful effects on hormonal and
testicular morphology. However, these adverse effects gradually restored to normal following
withdrawal from AAS.
