Amlodipine Besylate Administration(s) resulted in Skeletal and Testicular Dysmorphologies; and reduced Serum Testosterone in Adult Male Wistar Rats.

Amlodipine Besylate is a long-acting calcium channel blocker used in Man for the treatment of hypertension and angina. The treatment regimen is 5 or 10mg daily. This study tested the hypothesis that prolonged oral administration of Amlodipine Besylate impairs fertility in adult male wistar rats. Twenty - nine normotensive adult male wistar rats (150 - 250g) were employed in the study: Rats of Control Group I (comprising of four rats) received 4mls of Normal Saline while rats of Experimental Groups II – VI (each comprising of five rats) received 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40mg/kg BW of Amlodipine Besylate respectively for 56 - 65 days. Gross morphology evaluations showed reduced bodyweight, hair loss, ataxia, dysmorphology and paralyses of limbs, vertebral anomalies and loss of movements in rats of Groups IV - VI in weeks 4 – 9 in a dose-dependent manner. No adverse effects were observed on testosterone levels in rats treated with Normal Saline, 5, 10 and 15mg/kg bodyweight of Amlodipine Besylate. However, significantly reduced serum testosterone was observed in treated with 20mg/kg bodyweight of Amlodipine Besylate. Histological analyses showed dose – dependent anomalies of the testes such as scanty and destroyed seminiferous tubules, wider tubular lumen and significantly reduced sperm cells in rats that received 20 and 40mg/kg BW of Amlodipine Besylate. This study observed skeletal dysmorphology, anomalies of behavioural functions and impaired fertility in adult male rats treated with 15mg/kg BW and higher doses of Amlodipine Besylate.

Key Words: Amlodipine Besylate, Serum Testosterone, Adult Male Wistar Rats