Induction of puberty in West African Dwarf buck-kids with exogenous melatonin

摘要

SixteenWestAfricanDwarf(WAD)buck-kidsagerangingbetween21/2and3monthsandbodyweightof4.82+0.87kgwereusedtoevaluatetheeffectofexogenousmelatoninonpubertyinduction.Thebuck-kidsweretreatedorallyfortenconsecutivedayswith0,3,6,and9mgmelatonininacompletelyrandomizedblockdesign.Buck-kidsadministeredwithmelatoninhadincreasescrotalcircumference,testicularmeasurements,semenvolume,massactivity,progressivespermmotilityandspermconcentration.Theincreaseintheseparameterswashighest(P0.05)at6mgmelatoninadministration.Similarly,buck-kidstreatedwith6mgmelatoninhadhighest(P0.05)serumtestosteroneconcentration(3.61+0.08mg/ml)comparedto2.35+0.07,3.16+0.12and2.24+018ng/mlfor0,3,and9mgmelatoninrespectively.TheresultsofthisstudyshowedthatmelatonintreatmentinducedtheonsetofejaculateinWADbuck-kidsat5monthsold.Partoftheimprovementinthetesticularmeasurementsandspermcharacteristicscouldbeascribedtoincreaseintheserumtestosteronelevelarisingfrominducedspermatogenesis.