CYTOLOGICAL AND CYTOCHEMICAL COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF CYPROTERONE (ANTI-ANDROGEN) AND GONADECTOMY ON THE GONADOTROPHIC CELLS OF THE HYPOPHYSIS IN MALE RATS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cyproterone, a competitive inhibitor of testosterone, injected into male rats in daily doses of 10 mg, induces hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the mucoid cells of the hypophysis, followed by the appearance of castration cells. The largest number of these cells is observed on the 12th test-day. These changes are accompanied by degranulation of mucoid cells and an increase in the reactions for acid phosphatase and non-specific esterases. As the injection of cyproterone is continued, the number of castration cells in the anterior lobe of the hypophysis decreases and the cytoenzymic reactions observed show a fall in intensity. Gonadectomy, on the contrary, brings about lasting characteristic changes in the anterior lobe of the hypophysis, which mainly consist in the occurrence of castration cells accompanied by an increase in the intensity of reactions for acid phosphatase and non-specific esterases. The above data suggest that in the course of administration of cyproterone, suitable adaptive systems develop in the organism which inhibit the action of this anti-androgen.