Effect of candicidin and colestipol on the testes and prostate glands of BIO 87.20 hamsters.

The oral treatment of groups of aged BIO 87.20 male hamsters, an inbred line of Syrian hamsters that develops spontaneous cystic prostatic hypertrophy, with either the heptaene macrolide, candicidin, or the bile acid-sequestering anion exchange resin, colestipol, resulted in a significant reduction of prostate size and weight. The effect was most prominent in the high dosage (75 mg per kg per day) candicidin group and moderate in the high dosage (400 mg per kg per day) colestipol group. It was observed microscopically that the extreme dilation of the prostatic acini of the untreated control prostate glands was partially prevented by the treatment, resulting in much less distended prostatic acini. Concomitantly, there was a notable decrease of the total cholesterol content of the entire prostate gland and the plasma of the high dosage candicidin group. The relationship of certain aspects of sterol metabolism and the possible prevention of cystic prostatic hypertrophy in this new experimental animal disease model is discussed. The effect of these drugs on the nutritional state of the animal and on the synthesis and metabolism of androgens from the testis are questions that remain to be answered.