Abstract

Depression and anxiety are recognized as public health problems. Epidemiological studies have shown that depression and anxiety often occur during reproductive ages between 20 and 60 years of age in males. Trazodone is one of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Drugs used in repeated doses also play a role in the etiology of infertility. In our study, it was aimed to identify the possible toxic effects of trazodone on male rats and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Vehicle or trazodone (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg/day) was administered to rats for 28 consecutive days (n = 8 per group). At the end of that period, sperm concentration, motility, morphology, and DNA damage were determined and testicular morphology was assessed histopathologically in rats. Additionally, we investigated hormonal status by determining serum testosterone, FSH, and LH levels and oxidative stress by determining glutathione and malondialdehyde levels in testicular tissue to elucidate mechanisms of possible reproductive toxicity. According to our results, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and normal sperm morphology were decreased; sperm DNA damage was increased in trazodone-administered groups. Degenerative findings on the testicular structure were observed after trazodone administration in rats. Additionally, serum FSH, LH, and testosterone levels were elevated in the trazodone-administered groups. Increased MDA levels were the signs of enhanced oxidative stress after trazodone administration in testis tissues. Thus, we concluded that trazodone induced reproductive toxicity in male rats; this reproductive toxicity was accompanied by oxidative stress and hormonal changes, which are considered as important causes of reproductive disorders.

Highlights

  • Reproductive health affects the quality of life of the individual as well as both maternal and fetal health during pregnancy, newborn, infant, and child health after pregnancy

  • When the groups were compared in terms of sperm concentration, significant and dose-related decreases in sperm concentration were observed in all TRZ-administered groups compared to the control group

  • According to our study results, which we performed independently of other risk factors related to reproductive toxicity, TRZ administration decreased sperm concentration, motility, and normal sperm morphology, increased sperm DNA damage, and induced degeneration of testicular structure

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Summary

Introduction

Reproductive health affects the quality of life of the individual as well as both maternal and fetal health during pregnancy, newborn, infant, and child health after pregnancy In this respect, reproductive health has become an important research area in recent years [1, 2]. Infertility, which is defined as the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, is an important disease of the reproductive system. It is considered as a widespread health problem worldwide, its incidence and prevalence is very difficult to determine [2,3,4]. It could be said that direct or indirect male-derived infertility constitutes approximately 30–50% of the infertility cases [3, 7]

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