Androgen Levels and Apoptosis in the Testis During Postnatal Development of Finasteride-Treated Male Rat Offspring
September 2015
in “
Folia Histochemica Et Cytobiologica
”
TLDR Finasteride treatment in male rats can reduce fertility and affect sperm development in their offspring.
The study investigated the effects of paternal exposure to finasteride, a 5-alpha reductase type 2 inhibitor, on androgen levels and germ cell apoptosis in male offspring during postnatal development. The subjects were Wistar male rats of various ages, born from females fertilized by finasteride-treated males, with a control group from untreated parents. Results showed difficulties in obtaining male offspring from finasteride-treated males, changes in body and testes weights, and a lower number of apoptotic cells during postnatal maturation. Alterations in androgen concentrations were observed during the first wave of spermatogenesis and in adult life. The study concluded that finasteride treatment in adult male rats could decrease fertility and disrupt androgen-sensitive spermatogenesis in their offspring.