Urinary creatine as a possible marker for testicular damage: studies with the testicular toxic compound 2-methoxyethanol.

A single dose of 500 mg/kg of 2-methoxyethanol given to male rats caused testicular damage, detected by histopathology, a significant reduction in relative testis weight, and a significant rise in urinary creatine, maximal at 48 h after dosing. Further studies showed that the reduction in relative testis weight and creatine excretion were dose related. Conversely, urinary creatinine showed a dose-related decrease at 24 h after dosing. In female rats dosed with 500 mg/kg of 2-methoxyethanol, there was no increase in urinary creatine or decrease in creatinine. These data suggest that urinary creatine may be a useful, noninvasive marker of testicular damage.