Antiprostatic effect associated with zinc depletion in cimetidine-treated rats.

The administration of large doses of cimetidine for 45 days to rats decreased the weight of the prostate and lowered the prostate levels of the zinc metal ion. Since the zinc ion is essential to the prostate growth and androgen action and since cimetidine lowers prostatic zinc content, the weight loss of the prostate observed in cimetidine treated animals can be reasonably attributed to the removal of zinc caused by cimetidine administration.