EFFECT OF LITHIUM-CHLORIDE ON SPERMATOGENESIS AND TESTICULAR STEROIDOGENESIS IN MATURE ALBINO-RATS - DURATION DEPENDENT RESPONSE

Quantitative evaluation of the different varieties of germ cells at stage VII of the seminiferous epithelium cycle, namely type-A spermatogonia (ASg), preleptotene spermatocytes (pLSc), midpachytene spermatocytes (mPSc) and step 7 spermatids (7 Sd) along with Leydig cell nuclear area (LCNA) and radio-immunoassay of plasma levels of ganadotropins (FSH and LH), prolactin (PRL) and testosterone (T), activities of testicular, DELTA-5-3-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (DELTA-5-3-beta-HSD) and 17-beta-hydroxyteroid dehydrogenase (17-beta-HSD) were measured in mature rats of the Wistar strain following treatment with lithium chloride at a dose of 200 ug/100 g body wt/day for 7,14 and 21 days. A remarkable reduction in plasma levels of FSH(P < 0.001), LH(P < 0.05,P < 0.01), PRL (P < 0.05,P < 0.001) and T(P < 0.001) along with significant diminution in the activities of testicular DELTA-5-3-beta-HSD(P < 0.001) and 17-beta-HSD(P < 0.001) were observed following lithium treatment for 14 and 21 days. 21 days of treatment also resulted a marked degree of degeneration of ASg (P < 0.05) and 7Sd(P < 0.001) at stage VII but 14 days of treatment did not exhibited any significant effect on testicular gametogenesis. LCNA was decreased after lithium chloride treatment for 14 and 21 days (P < 0.001). 7 days of treatment did not exert any notable result in the above parameters. The results of our experiment suggest that duration of lithium treatment is the critical factor for its adverse effects on testicular activity when the plasma levels of lithium remain within the therapeutic range. The possibility of an indirect action of lithium at the level of the testes is also discussed. Hence the data of our experiments have potential clinical implication.