Effects of chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone on serum testosterone levels and prostatic tissue in rats

• Published in: The Journal of urology Vol. 170; no. 5; p. 2101
• Main Authors: Rhoden, Ernani Luis, Gobbi, Daniel, Rhoden, Claudia Ramos, Menti, Eduardo, Roehe, Adriane Nial, Hartmann, Antonio, Morgentaler, Abraham
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.2003
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Body Weight - drug effects; Dehydroepiandrosterone - pharmacology; Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate - blood; Long-Term Care; Male; Organ Size - drug effects; Prostate - drug effects; Prostate - pathology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Testis - drug effects; Testis - pathology; Testosterone - blood
• ISSN: 0022-5347
• DOI: 10.1097/01.ju.0000091827.97826.57

We evaluated the effects of chronic administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on serum total testosterone and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS), prostatic weight and histological features in the rat. Wistar rats were divided into 2 groups. The first group of 9 rats received saline solution orally once daily during 5 days of the week for 10 months and the second group of 15 received 5 mg/kg daily DHEA in suspension orally in the same pattern. At the end of the 10-month study period total testosterone levels were higher in the DHEA group compared with controls (2.0 +/- 0.4 vs 0.8 +/- 0.2 mg/dl, p <0.0001) and DHEAS levels were also greater in the treated group compared with placebo (222.1 +/- 41.5 vs 2.0 +/- 0.3 mg/dl, p <0.0001). Weight of the prostate, testis and body did not differ between the groups (p >0.05). No differences between the 2 groups were noted in regard to the degree of hyperplasia, atrophy, a papillary component or the stromal-to-gland ratio (p >0.05). Oral ingestion of DHEA on a chronic basis in the rat increases serum DHEAS and total testosterone without any evident change in prostate weight or histology.