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The effect of Nandrolone Decanoate on the
Epididymis Weight and it s Histological
Structure in Adult Male Mice
Shiama Ahmed Rahim
College of science for women - Univ. of Babylon
Abstract
This study aimed to identify the effect of different doses of nandrolone decanoate on
epididymis weight and histological changes in epididymis in adult male mice.these males was injected
subcutaneously(in distled region of femur)with (50,100mg/kgm body weight )every 2 days for 30 days.
Histological section examination shows reduction of the diameter of epididymal tubules , the
diameter of lumen of epididymal and the height of epithelial cells in (caput & cauda )of epididymis and
increase the percentage of damage in epididymal caput tubules for treatment group in comparing with
control group which injected with normal saline and realved histopathological changes includes
accumulation of the odematous fluid inside the tubules , interstitial spaces between
tubules,degreagation of epithelial epididymis and absence of tubules from sperm.
الخلاصة
على وزن البربخ و التغيرات النسجية فى البربخ nandrolone decanoate هدفت الدراسة لمعرفة تاثير جرع مختلفة من
في ذكور الفئران البالغة ، تم حقن الذكور ب 50 و 100 ملغم /كغم من وزن الجسم تحت الجلد (في المنطقة القريبة للفخذ )كل
يومين و لمدة 30 يوم.
اظهرت فحوصات المقاطع النسجية نقصان اقطار النبيبات البربخية واقطار تجاويف النبيبات البربخية وارتفاع الخلايا
الظهارية( في منطقتي راس و ذيل البربخ) و زيادة النسبة المئوية للتضرر في نبيبات راس البربخ للحيوانات المعاملة بالمقارنة مع
مجموعة السيطرة التي حقنت بالمحلول الملحي الفسلجي و حصول تغيرات نسجية –مرضية تضمنت تجمع السائل الوذمي داخل
النبيبات وظهور احياز بينية و تحطم ظهارة البربخ و خلو التجاويف من النطف .
Introduction
Anabolic- androgen steroid (AASs) are synthetic derivatives of testosterone and
are important pharmacologically for treatment of growth definiency , anemia , sexual
dysfunction of chronic renal failure and osteoprosis (Doust et al., 2007; Soliman &
Oreopoules .,1994) and combination of these compounds used by athletes and muscle
builders with the sole purpose of improving performance, ability, appearance or
muscle mass (Shittu etal .,2006).
Some researchers reported that AASs have negative health consequeces
including endocrine, hepatic, cardiovascular and behavioral disturbance (Wood ,2004;
Clerico etal .,1981). AASs compound greatly affect the male pituitary –gonadal axis,
hypogonadosim can be induced characterized by decreased serum testosterone
concentrations, testicular atrophy and impaired spermatogenesis.(Clark etal, 1997;
Wroblewska,1997).
Torres- Colleja (2001) reported that sperm count and normal sperm morphology
were significantly reduced in AASs abuser bodybuilder.
Mesbah etal (2007) showed that administration of AASs caused degenerated
change on some testicular structures ,this adverse effect of AASs is due to it s
including to cirsculating testosterone elevation to the range likely to be used in
hormonal male contraception (Daryl etal .,2004).
Within the epididymis , contraceptive effects could be mediated on the
spermatozoa directly via the epididymal epithelium and epididymal fluids
composition or on epididymal peritubular muscle ,all three of these aspects of
epididymal function have been investigated as potential contraceptive targets.
(Anderson and Baird, 2002). The obejective of this study to assess the effect of
Journal of Babylon University/Pure and Applied Sciences/ No.(5)/ Vol.(20): 2012
1474
AASs(Nandrolone Decanoate ) on histological changes of epididymis and it s weight
in adult male albino mice.
Material and Methods
were grouped randomized into three Fifteen adult male albino mice (balb/C)
group weighting 18.4g-22.8g
Tow groups injected subcutaneously (in distled region of femur) with 50 and
100mg \kg body weight nandrolone decanoate (NA)every 2 days for 30 days while
control group was injected with 0.9 %normal sline .the animales were housed at 22-
25C with 12-h light \dark cycle .after30 days fom injection NA the animales were
sacrificed and their epididymis removed and weighted by sensitive digital balance .the
organs weight to body weight ratio were then calculated as mg\100g of body weight.
The epididymis were fixed by formaline 10% for histological sectioning
(Presnell&Schreibman,1997), then the sections were examined by using compouned
microscope and the measurments were acording by using ocular micrometer after
calibrated with stage micrometer .
Twenty readings for the diameter of epididymal tubules (caput &
cauda),twenty readings for the diameter of epididymis lumen (caput & cauda) and
twenty readings for the hight of epithelial cells (caput & cauda) was measured for
each animal.
Percentage of damage of caput epididymal tubules was calculated as
previously described in (Balash etal , 1987) according to the follwing releasionship :
photographing was achieved by using Olympus model DB2-N180 microscope which
provided by computer type LG. complete randomized design (CRD)F-test was
applied and followed by LSD test for analysising the results (Al-Rawi,2000)
Results
The weight of epididymis was a significantly reduced in experimental groups
compared with those of the control as showing in figure (1).
The treated groups showed significantly decrease(p<0.01),(p<0.05) in the means of
diameter of epididymal tubules in caput and means of epithelial cell height in caput
that compared to control that showing in figure(2),(4).
In this study , showed an insignificantly decrease in the mean of diameter
epididymal tubules (cauda),mean of epithelial cell height (cauda) and mean of
diameter of epididymal lumen (cauda) in treated animals as compared to control as
shown in figure(3),(5),(7) Through the study of histological sections showed an
insignificantly decreased in the means of diameter epididymal tubules ,means of
epithelial cell height (in cauda) and means of diameter of epididymal lumen in( caput
for 100mg|kg group and cauda) as compared to control as shown in figure(3,5,6,7)
In the present study , significant increase (p<0.01)in the mean diameter of
epididymal lumen caput for experimental mice (which injected with 50mg|kg)as
shown in figure (6). In addition to this findings our study showed that reduced content
of spermatozoa in the lumen of epididymal tubules in experimental mice was showed
in picture (4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11), Our study also showed accumulation of the odeamtous
fluid inside epididymal tubules was showed picture (5,9,11), The results of this study
Percentage of damage = number of damage tubules
Total number of tubules × 100
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reported the treatment of nandrolone decanoate cauced increase percentage of
damage in epididymal caput tubules.
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Epididymis weight ration
mg/100g
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
Diameter of caput
epididymal tubule
Dose mg/kg
control 50 100
*
* *
Figure (2) Diameter of caput epididymal tubules (mictometer) in male mice which
treated in different doses of nandrolone decanoate.
* significant decrease at (0.05) level .
* * significant decrease at (P<0.01) level .
6.52 * L.S.D=
9.82* * L.S.D.=
Figure (1) epididymis weight ration (mg/ 100 gm ) of body weight) in male mice
which treated in different doses of nandrolone decanoate.
control 50 100 Dose mg/kg
Journal of Babylon University/Pure and Applied Sciences/ No.(5)/ Vol.(20): 2012
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140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180
Diameter of cauda
epididymal tubule
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
height of epithelial
cell of caput
control 50 100 Dose mg/kg
Figure (3) Diameter of cauda epididymal tubules (mictometer) in male mice which
treated in different doses of nandrolone decanoate .
control 50 100 Dose mg/kg
** **
Figure (4) height of epithelial cell of caput epididymal tubules (mictometer) in
male mice which treated in different doses of nandrolone decanoate .
* * significant decrease at (p<0.01) level .
L.S.D.=7.81
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0
5
10
15
20
height of epithelial
cell of cauda
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Diameterof epididymal
caput lumen
control 50 100 Dose mg/kg
Figure (5) height of epithalial cell of cauda epididymal tubules (mictometer) in
male mouse which treated in different doses of nandrolone decanoate.
*
control 50 100 Dose mg/kg
Figure (6) Diameter of epididymal caput lumen (mictometer) in male mice which treated
in different doses of nandrolone decanoate .
** significant decrease at (p<0.01) level .
L.S.D.=7.032
Journal of Babylon University/Pure and Applied Sciences/ No.(5)/ Vol.(20): 2012
1478
130
135
140
145
150
diameter of cauda
epididymal lumen
0
10
20
30
40
50
percentage of damage
of caput epididymal
control 50 100 Dose mg/kg
Figure (7) Diameter of cauda epididymal lumen(mictometer) in male mice
which treated in different doses of nandrolone decanoate .
control 50 100 Dose mg/kg
Figure (8) percentage of damage of caput epididymal in male mice which
treated in different doses of nandrolone decanoate .
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picture (1):Cross-section (10x)for cauda epididymis mice(control
group)show:normal view for epididymal tubules.
picture (2):Cross-section (40x)for cauda epididymis mice(control group)show:
normal view for epididymal tubules
Journal of Babylon University/Pure and Applied Sciences/ No.(5)/ Vol.(20): 2012
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picture (3):Cross-section (40x)for caput epididymis mice(control group)show:
normal view for epididymal tubules.
Picture (4):Cross-section (10x)for caput epididymis mice(100mg/kg)show:
absence of sperm from tubules, damage in tubules walls, interstilial space
between tubules.
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Picture (5):Cross-section (40x)for caput epididymis mice
(100mg/kg)show:absence of sperm from tubules, ,interstilial space between
tubulesand accumulation odematous fluids inside tubules.
Picture (6):Cross-section (10x)for cauda epididymis mice (100mg/kg)show:
absence of sperm from tubules, damage in tubules wall.
Journal of Babylon University/Pure and Applied Sciences/ No.(5)/ Vol.(20): 2012
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Picture (7):Cross-section (40x)for cauda epididymis mice (100mg/kg)show:
absence of sperm from tubules, damage in tubules walls.
Picture (8):Cross-section (10x)for cauda epididymis mice (50mg/kg)show:
absence of sperm from tubules, damage in tubules walls, interstitial space
between tubules and damage interstitial tissue.
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Picture (9):Cross-section (40x)for cauda epididymis mice (50mg/kg)show:
absence of sperm from tubules, damage in tubules walls and accumulation
odematous fluids inside tubules.
Picture (10):Cross-section (10x)for caput epididymis mice (50mg/kg)show:
absence of sperm from tubules, accumulation odematous fluids inside tubules
and interstitial space between tubules
Journal of Babylon University/Pure and Applied Sciences/ No.(5)/ Vol.(20): 2012
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Picture (11):Cross-section (40x)for caput epididymis mice (50mg/kg)show:
absence of sperm from tubules, accumulation odematous fluids inside tubules
and interstitial space between tubules.
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