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Effects of vigabatrin, carbamazepine or its combination on the pituitarygonadal axis in male Wistar rats


O.S. Akinsomisoye
A.R. Owolabi
O.B. Adeyeye
O.S. Osuntokun
C.O. Akintayo
A Oladele

Abstract

Objectives: Epilepsy is the most common non-infectious neurologic disease in developing African countries following stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Most conventional antiepileptic drugs, due to their centrally acting potentials have been implicated in the deregulation of reproductive hormones. This study assessed the effect of the single and combined administration of vigabatrin (VIG) and carbamazepine (CBZ) on the pituitary-gonadal axis of male Wistar rats.

Methods: Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=10). The animals were administered with distilled water (0.1 ml/kg/day), VIG (200 mg/kg/day), CBZ (200 mg/kg/day), VIGCBZ combination (100 mg/kg/day each) and VIG-CBZ combination (200 mg/kg/day each) for 8 weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last dose, 5 rats from each group were sacrificed, while the remaining 5 eventually sacrificed after another 8 week of drug withdrawal. The level of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone and testosterone were determined from the serum. The weight of the reproductive organs and sperm indices were assayed, while the testicular tissue were examined for signs of histological alteration.

Results: The results showed significant decrease in the levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone and sperm physiological indices. Morphological alteration was noticed in the testes of all the treated rats. However, there was restoration of these parameters sequelae to 8 weeks cessation of treatment.

Conclusion: Single and combined administration of VIG and CBZ resulted into pituitary-gonadal axis hormonal deregulation and alterations in the sperm profile which were however reversible upon cessation of treatment.

Keywords: epilepsy, vigabatrin, carbamazepine, sperm, testosterone


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eISSN: 2467-8252
print ISSN: 2360-7793