EFFECTS OF ERYTHROPOIETIN, BROMOCRYPTINE AND HYDRALAZINE ON TESTICULAR FUNCTION IN RATS WITH CHRONIC-RENAL-FAILURE

We evaluated the effects of chronic renal failure (CRF) on testicular function and semen physiology. A CRF model was created in 48 male rats by performance of five-sixths nephrectomies in two-stage procedures, and a control (group A) by two-stage sham operation on six male rats. Seven weeks later, serum urea and creatinine concentrations were asses sed, and the nephrectomized rats were then equally divided into four g roups, B, C, D and E, and treated with saline, erythropoietin, bromocr yptine and hydralazine, respectively. Seventeen weeks after the first surgical procedure, the number of fertile rats, the mean values of epi didymal sperm content and motility, the outcome of in vitro fertilizat ion, and peripheral serum testosterone concentrations and responses to human chorionic gonadotropin were significantly higher (P<0.05) in gr oups A, C and D than in groups B and E. Serum prolactin concentration was significantly higher (P<0.05) in all groups of nephrectomized rats than in group A. Our results indicate that bromocryptine and erythrop oetin improve Leydig cell function, spermatogenesis, epididymal sperm maturation, and sperm fertilizing capacity in rats with CRF.