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. 2023 Sep 18;11:1258574. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1258574

TABLE 3.

The effects of small molecule medications on spermatogenesis.

Medicine categories Effects Mechanisms Relevant references Species Drug dosages Durations
ACEI captopril affect various germ cell during spermatogenesis the proliferation rate of spermatogonial stem cells↓ Gao et al. (2018) Mice 0.001 M/0.01 M ∼4 days
AEDs topiramate spermatogonia and spermatocytes↓histological damage to the testes Otoom et al. (2004) Rat 100 mg/kg 60 days
downregulate the VEGFA gene and the SYCP3 gene El et al. (2019) Mice 100/200/400 mg/kg 4 weeks
cannabidiol impair spermatogenesis, affect the mitosis and meiosis of germ cells Patra and WAdsworth (1991) Mice 50 mg/kg 15/35 days
inhibit the G1/S phase cell cycle transition and DNA synthesis Li et al. (2022) Mice/human ∼100 μM 4/24 h
NRTIs abacavir cause damage to male fertility by damaging DNA increase DNA damage Matuszewska et al. (2021) Rat 60 mg/kg 16 weeks
NNRTIs etravirine Matuszewska et al. (2021) Rat 40 mg/kg 16 weeks
LLD rosuvastatin Leite et al. (2017) Rat 3/10 mg/kg/day 30 days
NSAIDs paracetamol Smarr et al. (2017) Human not mentioned not mentioned
SSRIs paroxetine abnormal DNA fragmentation in sperm Tanrikut et al. (2010) Human not mentioned 5 weeks
sertraline increase DNA damage Akasheh et al. (2014) Human 25/50 mg/days 1 weeks/3 months
Atli et al. (2017) Rat 5/10/20 mg/kg 28 days
Hamdi (2019) Rat 15.63 mg/kg 28 days
escitalopram Ilgin et al. (2017) Rat 5/10/20 mg/kg 28 days
ACEI enalapril reduce sperm DNA damage caused by the disease Kushwaha and Jena (2012) Rat 10 mg/kg 4/8 weeks
AEDs carbamazepine affect sperm quality by regulating gene expression the expression of KCNJ11 in the testes↓microRNA let-7a, CFTR, and microRNA 27a↑ Tektemur et al. (2021) Rat 25 mg/kg/day 60 days
valproic acid negative effects of acrosome formation during spermatogenesis (expression of phosphorylated proteins and Ki67↓) premature acrosome reactions and abnormal sperm heads Alsemeh et al. (2022) Rat 100/300/500 mg/kg/day 8 days
Nishimura et al. (2000) Rat 250/500/1000 mg/kg/day 4/7/10 weeks
RØste et al. (2001) Rat 200/400 mg/kg bid 90 days
Sukhorum and Iamsaard (2017) Rat 500 mg/kg 10 days
oxcarbazepine positive effect on sperm production and maturation by raising FSH and LH levels Guo et al. (2021) Human 706 ± 182 mg/day ≥6 months
Wu et al. (2018) Human 300–900 mg/day ≥6 months
β-receptor antagonists affect testosterone levels reduce sperm motility increase sperm abnormality rate lower testosterone levels El-Sayed et al. (1998) Rat atenolol:9/18 mg/kg 60 days
El-Sayed et al. (1998) Rat metoprolol:3.5/7 mg/kg 60 days
El-Sayed et al. (1998) Rat propranolol:7.5/15 mg/kg 60 days
Fogari et al. (2002) Human valsartan:80 mg/day 16 weeks
Fogari et al. (2002) Human atenolol:50 mg/day 16 weeks
Rosen et al. (1988) Human propranolol:80 mg bid 1 week
Rosen et al. (1988) Human metoprolol:100 mg bid 1 week
Rosen et al. (1988) Human atenolol:100 mg/day 1 week
Rosen et al. (1988) Human pindolol:10 mg bid 1 week
Suzuki et al. (1988) Human atenolol:50–100 mg 1 years

Abbreviation: ACEI, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; AEDs, Antiepileptic drugs; NRTIs, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors; NNRTIs, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors; LLD:lipid-lowering drugs; NSAIDs, Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs; SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; bid:twice a day; ↓: decline; ↑: improve.