Effect of Nandrolone Decanoate on Sertoli Cell and Testicular Tubular Differentiation Indices in Rats

Background: Misuse of Nandrolone Decanoate, an anabolic steroid, can lead to serious side effects including male infertil-ity.Materials and Methods: Eighteen rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups; group 1 was served as a control and groups 2 and 3 received 3 and 6 mg/kg of Nandrolone Decanoate weekly through intra-muscular injections, respectively. After 8 weeks, the testicles were harvested and Sertoli cell index (SCI) and tubular differentiation index (TDI) were evaluated.Results: The SCI and TDI indices showed significant reduc-tions in Nandrolone Decanoate-treated groups compared to the control group.Conclusion: The use of anabolic steroids such as Nandrolone Decanoate may cause testicular dysfunction.

Keywords:

Nandrolone Decanoate , Seminiferous Tubulest , Ser-toli Cell , Spermatogenesis , Rat