Grover J K, Vats V, Srinivas M, Das S N, Jha P, Gupta D K, Mitra D K
Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
Indian J Exp Biol. 2001 Nov;39(11):1160-2.
Metronidazole, a 5-nitroimidazole drug has been reported to decrease testicular weight, testicular and epididymal spermatid counts and causes abnormal sperm morphology with degeneration of seminiferous tubules with 6 weeks treatment of metronidazole (400 mg/kg, day). In contrast to DNA flow cytometry (FCM), the histological and gravimetric parameters do not allow a rapid, sensitive, objective and multiparameteric evaluation of reproductive toxicants on spermatogenesis. Moreover, the exact mechanisms for such an effect are not entirely clear. The present study was therefore undertaken to assess the effects of intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of metronidazole 400 mg/kg daily for 30 days on testicular germ cell changes assessed by DNA (FCM) and hormone levels of testosterone, FSH and LH in pre-pubertal rats. A significant reduction in the haploid cell population in metronidazole treated groups as compared to saline treated controls was observed. The mean serum FSH, LH and testosterone value were also lowered in treated animals. Thus, the spermatotoxic effects of metronidazole were probably mediated by decrease in the circulating hormones responsible for spermatogenesis.
甲硝唑是一种5-硝基咪唑类药物，据报道，用甲硝唑（400毫克/千克，每日）治疗6周会使睾丸重量减轻、睾丸和附睾精子细胞数量减少，并导致精子形态异常以及生精小管变性。与DNA流式细胞术（FCM）不同，组织学和重量参数无法对生殖毒物对精子发生的影响进行快速、灵敏、客观和多参数评估。此外，这种作用的确切机制尚不完全清楚。因此，本研究旨在评估对青春期前大鼠腹腔注射（i.p.）每日400毫克/千克甲硝唑，持续30天，对通过DNA（FCM）评估的睾丸生殖细胞变化以及睾酮、促卵泡激素（FSH）和促黄体生成素（LH）激素水平的影响。与生理盐水处理的对照组相比，在甲硝唑处理组中观察到单倍体细胞群体显著减少。在处理的动物中，血清FSH、LH和睾酮的平均水平也降低了。因此，甲硝唑的精子毒性作用可能是由负责精子发生的循环激素减少介导的。
