Influence of daily subcutaneous administration of reserpine for 4 weeks or 9 weeks before mating on testis, sperm and male fertility in rats.

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Abstract
To determine the optimum period of drug treatment and assessment parameters to evaluate male fertility in rats, different methods of examination and periods of treatment before mating were investigated in Sprague-Dawley (Crj:CD) male rats treated with a testicular oxicity-inducing agent, reserpine. The rats were given reserpine subcutaneously at daily doses of 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg for 4 and 9 weeks (4-week test and 9-week test). Reproductive performance was tested and after mating, the testes, epididymides, prostate and pituitary weights were measured. Sperm analysis and histopathological examinations of the genital organs were also performed in the 4-week test case. After 4 weeks, prostate weight was decreased and the implantation rate showed a tendency for decrease. Histopathological examination of the testes revealed changes such as retention of step 19 spermatids in the seminiferous tubules of stages IX to XII, although sperm analysis showed no abnormal findings. In the 9-week test, testes and prostate weights were decreased along with the implantation rate was decreased. In conclusion, of the approaches used to evaluate the effects of reserpine on male fertility, histopathological examination and measurement of genital organ weights proved more sensitive than reproductive performance testing and sperm analysis. Regarding the optimum treatment period, 4 weeks was found to be sufficient for detection of histopathological and genital organ weight changes.

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