Effects of Testosterone, Progesterone and Testosterone plus Progesterone on Rat Testicular Lipids

The effects of testosterone, progesterone or testosterone plus progesterone on testicular lipids of pubertal rats are presented. The hormones were administered for 1 day as well as 7 days continuously to study both short and long term effects. Testosterone induced marked depletion of glycerides in short and long term treatments. It elicited a significant increase in phospholipids only in long term treatment. Progesterone brought about marked increase in esterified cholesterol with a congenital fall in free cholesterol. It had no significant effect on testicular glycerides and phospholipids Testosterone plus progesterone administration caused marked increase in phospholipids with a fall in glyceride levels even in short term treatment. There was a marked increase in esterified cholesterol with a concurrent fall in free cholesterol level. Thus, testosterone plus progesterone treatment brought out marked changes in phospholipids, glycerides and cholesterol fractions.
These hormonal treatments did not have any significant effect on testicular weight in short as well as long term studies.