Once-a-month injection of norethisterone enanthate and estradiol valerate combination suppresses pituitary FSH/LH secretion and testicular function in man

The efficacy of 200 mg of norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) and 2 mg of estradiol valerate (E-VAL) combination to suppress FSH/LH secretion and testicular function in adult volunteer men has been examined. The volunteer men received a single intra muscular injection of the hormone combination on day...

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Published inCurrent science (Bangalore) Vol. 82; no. 5; pp. 550 - 553
Main Authors Kumar, K. M. Prasanna, Krishnamurthy, H., Krishnamurthy, H. N., Shetty, G., Moudgal, N. R.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Current Science Association 10.03.2002
Subjects
Assembly lines
Birth control
Dosage
Injections
Male animals
RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Secretion
Spermatogenesis
Spermatozoa
Testosterone
Volunteerism
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Summary:The efficacy of 200 mg of norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) and 2 mg of estradiol valerate (E-VAL) combination to suppress FSH/LH secretion and testicular function in adult volunteer men has been examined. The volunteer men received a single intra muscular injection of the hormone combination on days 1, 25, 50 and 75 of the study. On days 100, 125, 150 and 175 they received an injection of NET-EN alone. Within three days of first injection serum testosterone (T) became undetectable (indicates suppression in LH secretion) and FSH level was reduced by 85%. Maximal suppression in FSH and T levels lasted for 15 days, the levels returning to normal by 25–30 days of a single injection. The subjects were given every alternate day starting from day 30 of treatment an oral T supplement (40 mg T undeconate tablet). Seminal ejaculates obtained once in 15–20 days were analysed for sperm counts and motility. Sperm counts (expressed as million per ml or ejaculatory volume) showed significant drop in all treated men by day 54 (>85%, P < 0.05) and reached acute oligo/azoospermia by day 110 and beyond. Motile sperm count showed drastic reduction from day 50 onwards (from 60.5 ± 13.7 mill/ml or 93.7 ± 23.7 mill/ejaculate before treatment to 1.5 ± 0.65 mill/ml or 2.4 ± 1.3 mill/ejaculate). Fertility index (FI), a product of motile sperm count and motility score, providing a measure of the fertilizing potential of sperm, was reduced from a pretreatment control of 268 ± 55.1 to 4.85 ± 2.7 by day 54 of treatment. Administration of NET-EN alone from the 5th injection onwards was adequate to maintain blockade in sperm production till the end of the study. No signs of hepatotoxicity or change in lipid profile were observable as a consequence of treatment. The potential uses of such a convenient regimen in suppressing testicular function appear many and need to be exploited.
ISSN:0011-3891