Actions of 5α-Reductase Inhibitors on the Epididymis

The study explored the effects of 5α-reductase inhibitors on the epididymis, focusing on their impact on sperm maturation and fertility. Testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by 5α-reductase, which is crucial for sperm maturation. Inhibitors like finasteride and dutasteride were found to significantly alter gene expression in the epididymis, leading to a decrease in the percentage of motile and morphologically normal sperm in treated rats. This resulted in fewer successful pregnancies and higher pre-implantation loss when females were mated with treated males. The findings suggested that dual 5α-reductase inhibitors could potentially be used as components of male contraceptives.