NIFEDIPINEON;

EFFECT OF NIFEDIPINEON SERUM LUTEINIZING HORMONE AND SERUM TESTOSTERONE IN MALE SPRAGUE DAWLEY RATS.

Abstract

Background: The most potent and effective drugs used for the management of blood pressure in hypertensive patients are Calcium channel blockers (CCBs). Nifedipine, a CCB, acts by blocking entry of calcium ions all the way through the voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs) of L-type present in the smooth muscle cells of blood vesselsand reducing the blood pressure by decreasing the peripheral vascular resistance. Objectives: The study objective was to determine the effect of nifedipine on serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and serum testosterone in male Sprague Dawley rats. Study Design: Animal experimental study. Setting: All experiments were conducted at the Research laboratory of Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad along with National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. Period: October, 2012 to April, 2014. Methods: The study was done on adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (N= 60) aged 90-120 days old and their body weights varied between 200 + 50 grams. Rats were divided intotwo groups (n=30). Group A was administered0.5 ml distilled water/rat daily orally, group B was administered orally with nifedipine 50 mg/kg/rat dissolved in 1ml of DMSO. All the doses were given to rats for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, serum luteinizing hormone and serum testosterone were measured in both groups. Results: In Nifedipine treated group, serum testosterone was significantly decreasedand serum LH was unaffected as compared to the control group. Conclusion: Nifedipine has adverse effects on male fertility as it decreases serum testosterone level.