Clomiphene citrate administration to normogonadotropic subfertile men: Blood hormone changes and activation of acid phosphatase in seminal fluid

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Clomiphene citrate was administered as a 50 mg oral daily dose to 44 normogonadotropic (serum FSH 2-10 mIU/ml) subfertile men for 3 mo. The treatment resulted in significant increases in FSH and LH [lutropin] concentrations, whereas prolactin remained unchanged. Serum testosterone and estradiol both increased highly significantly. The increased testosterone levels suggest that the elevated LH levels had not led to down regulation of Leydig cell LH/human chorionic gonadotropin receptors, neither had the greatly increased estradiol led to depletion of these receptors. This may be a result of the blocking of testicular estradiol receptors by the estrogen antagonist, clomiphene. Sperm count increased highly significantly during the treatment. The spermatic fluid concentrations of Zn and Mg ions were also increased, whereas fructose remained unchanged. The catalytic activity of acid phosphatase in spermatic fluid increased highly significantly; the concentration of the main prostate-specific acid phosphatase, as measured by a specific radioimmunological method, remained unchanged. Therefore, the increased Zn and Mg ion concentrations may be responsible for activation of acid phosphatase(s) in semen, or the treatment led to increased secretion of other prostatic acid phosphatase(s) than the main enzyme. The secretion of the main prostatic acid phosphatase into semen is under different control than that of Zn2+ and Mg2+.

This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit: