Dose-dependent effect and recovery period of Wistar rats treated with nandrolone decanoate: evaluation on the estrous cycle and ovarian and uterine histology

Abstract

Moved by the aesthetics or the improvement in athletic performance, growing indiscriminate use of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS) for young people and adults of both sexes. It is widely reported that these drugs damage the health and promote adverse effects on reproduction. However, little attention is given about the effects of AAS on the ovarian and uterine morphology, and whether these effects are reversible. No report was obtained in literature, on the question of evaluation in a same study, of different doses of synthetic steroids administered in female animals and the possibility of reversibility of effects.Thus, the goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of three doses of nandrolone decanoate (3.75; 7.5 and 15.0 mg/kg of body weight) on the estrous cycle and ovarian and uterine tissue of albino rats, and assess whether there is damage recovery after stopping the treatment perspectives-steroidal. Each experimental group will be composed of 10 females, being that the control group will receive saline solution. The treatments will be performed by a single daily injection (subcutaneous), during 15 consecutive days. After this period, 5 rats in each group will be sacrificed and the other (5 rats/group) will be submitted to a recovery period of 30 consecutive days, without any treatment. The estrous cycle will be monitored daily. After the two periods (treatment and recovery), will be collected and weighed the ovaries, uterus, liver, pituitary, adrenal and heart. The gonads and the uterine horns will be prepared by usual routine histological and the sections, stained with haematoxylin-eosin and Mallory Trichrome,will be evaluate in light microscopy. (AU)