RESUMO
To compare the effects of synthetic anabolic steroid [nandrolone decanoate] and natural anabolic products [wheat, soy flour, baker's yeast and whey protein either individually or in combination form] on serum sex hormones and histopathology of testes of male albino rats. Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University. Seven groups of male albino rats were used, each group was subdivided into two subgroups and supplied with one of the following compounds for 5 and 10 weeks, respectively; rodent chow, whole wheat [10 g/kg/day], soy flour [1.2 g/kg/day], baker's yeast [0.005 g/kg/day], whey protein [I g/kg/day] and mixture of the aforementioned products. The last group was intramuscularly injected with nandmione decanoate [0.001 g/kg/2 week]. Serum luteinizing hormone [LH], follicle stimulating hormone [FSH], were estimated by immuncradoet assay. Serum testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA] were determined by eIectrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Specimen from testes were taken for histopathological study. Rats received wheat and soy flour elicited significant decrease of serum testosterone after short and long term use, however, yeast displayed significant increase in testosterone. Whey protein revealed a significant degree in testosterone after short term intake but the result was reversed following Jung rera intake. Anabolic natural mixture displayed significant increase in testosterone following both periods, term anabolic steroid injection recorded significant decrease in serum testostene Throughout this work, dietary supplementation with wheat, decreased DHEA level, however yeast:.. puteia and natural mixture significantly elevated its level. Natural mixture induced non-significant change in FSH level but FSH was decreased after injection of anabolic steroid. Short and long intake of wheat significantly decreased LH, but soy, yeast and mixture caused a significant elevation in its level. Meanwhile anabolic steroid displayed a significant elevation after long term use. Groups supplemented with natural products either individually or in a mixture exhibited normal Sertoli cells, complete series of spermatogenesis and seminiferous tubules filled with sperm cells. Anabolic steroid-injected group showed necrosis of some sperm cells in addition to atrophy of some seminiferous tubules and decreased the number of sperm cells in other seminiferous tubules. The use of natural mixture of wheat; soy flour, baker's yeast and whey protein as a dietary supplement increases fertility instead of anabolic steroid which may cause serious damage in the testes and reduce the level of sex hormones