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Zinc arginine, a 5α‐reductase inhibitor, reduces rat ventral prostate weight and DNA without affecting testicular function
Author(s) -
Fahim M. S.,
Wang M.,
Sutcu M. F.,
Fahim Z.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0272.1993.tb02745.x
Subject(s) - prostate , endocrinology , medicine , dihydrotestosterone , testosterone (patch) , seminal vesicle , zinc , spermatogenesis , prostatitis , androgen , biology , chemistry , andrology , hormone , cancer , organic chemistry
Summary. Zinc has been implicated in steroid endocrinology of the prostate gland; and 5α‐dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is believed to express androgenic responses in the prostate. To note the effect of neutralized zinc (zinc gluconate + arginine) on the prostate, 50 sexually mature rats, weighing 325 ± 20 g, were divided into five groups as follows: (1) control, (2) sham, (3) castrated, and injected intraprostatically with (4) 10 mg neutralized zinc, and (5) 20 mg neutralized zinc. Results indicated significant reduction ( P <0.05) of prostate weight, 5α‐reductase activity, and total protein and DNA concentrations in treated prostate tissue; no significant change in weight and histological structure of testes, epididymides, and seminal vesicles; and no significant effect on progeny and blood testosterone level of treated animals. These results suggest that direct application of neutralized zinc to the prostate offers a new modality for treatment of prostatitis without affecting spermatogenesis.