The effect of chronic administration of ketoconazol on spermatogenesis indices and testis tissue in mice

Subject Areas : Veterinary Clinical Pathology

S.E Safavi ¹ , M.H Khayat Nouri ² , فرهاد Azimi ³

1 - Department of Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran
2 - Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran
3 - Graduate of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Tabriz, Iran

Received: 2008-10-30 Accepted : 2009-04-20 Published : 2009-02-19

Keywords: Mice, Spermatogenesis indices, ketokonazole,

Abstract :

     Ketoconazole, a broad spectrum antifungal agent has been employed widely in the treatment of fungal diseases. In addition to being antifungal, studies have indicated that this drug has an inhibitory effect on steroid hormone production including glucocorticoids and sex hormones and also its administration causes reduction in the amount of blood testosterone level and histologic changes in testicular tissue of laboratory animals. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of long term ketoconazole administration on spermatogenesis indices in testicular tissue of mice. In this experimental study 50 male mice were used which were allocated to 5 groups each containing 10 animals. The mice received a 50 mg/kg dose of ketoconazole daily for a period of 15 days, 1, 2 and 3 months orally. One group was used as the control and the other 4 groups received Ketoconazole, testicular tissue samples were collected at the end of the aforementioned time period, and after preparation of tissue sections and staining with hematoxylin and coin the spermiogenesis indices including tubular differentiation index (TDI), spermatogenesis index (SI) and repopulation index (RI) were studied. The results indicated that SI and RI decreased significantly (p<0.05) following 15 days of ketoconazole  administration in comparison with the control group and TDI, SI and RI had also decreased significantly after 1, 2 and 3 months. These results indicate that long term administration of Ketoconazole reduces spermatogenesis and its indices in the testicular tissue of mice probably via reduction in the serumic concentration of testosterone. However the effect of this drug on spermatogenesis and human infertility needs to be further investigated. 

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