Effects of Cimetidine and Bromocriptine on Germinal Epithelium and Spermatogenesis

Qamar Hamid, Sadaf Hamid, Liaqat Ali Minhas, Anjuman Gul

The present study was designed to see the influence of parenterally administered drugs cimetidine and bromocriptine on the germinal epithelium of adult male albino rats and its relation with spermatogenesis.Ninety adult young male albino rats between the ages of 60 to 120 days were selected. The animals were divided into three groups. Cimetidine was administered in a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight to group B intramuscularly and in addition to cimetidine, bromocriptine in a dose of 2.5 mg/day intramuscularly was given to group C. Normal saline was administered intramuscularly to control group A. Spermatogonia, spermotocytes,and spermatids were studied under oil immersion. The spermatogenesis was normal in almost all of the tubules of group B but a few of them were seen lined with only Sertoli cells and all the other germ cells like spermatogonia, primary spermatocyes, spermatids early and late, and spermatozoa were absent indicating total atrophy with both Sertoli cells and Leydig cells hyperplasia. However, the seminiferous tubules of group C were showing disorganisation/ disruption or both at the level of basal compartment of germinal epithelium in small quadrants, a quarter, half or more than half of their tubules indicating partial atrophy. Both normal and abnormal germinal epithelium was seen in same/different tubules but a few of them were seen lined with only Sertoli cells and all the other germ cells like spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes,spermatids early and late, and spermatozoa were absent. On the basis of the results of present study we could not exclude the possibility that besides the known anti-androgenic effect of cimetidine, a possible interference of cimetidine on the histoarchitecture of the seminiferous epithelium, as well as lack of other biochemical factors essential for spermatogenesis could be involved in the testicular changes/ alterations of both groups B and C.