The Effects of Chlorpromazine on Reproductive System and Function in Female Rats

BACKGROUND: Chlorpromazine (CPZ), an antipsychotic drug, is associated with increased risk of sexual dysfunction through increasing prolactin levels. The current study evaluates the effect of CPZ-induced hyperprolactinemia on ovarian follicular growth, gonadotropins, and alteration of ovarian source hormones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, animals were divided into four groups, control and CPZ (n=8 per group). In the treated groups, CPZ was administered by gavage at doses of 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg per day for 28 days. On day 29 the animals were killed after which histopathological and histomorphometric analyses of the ovaries were performed. We evaluated the levels of prolactin serum, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E(2)) and progesterone. RESULTS: The ovaries of the test groups showed numerous atretic follicles of various sizes. CPZ caused a significant difference between the test groups and the control group (P<0.05) on the amount of atresia and the size of the normal corpora lutea (CL). The increased dysfunction of the ovaries from the different groups depended on the amount of CPZ administered. The serum concentrations of prolactin and progesterone significantly increased (P<0.05), while the serum concentrations of estradiol, LH and FSH notably decreased (P<0.05), depending on the CPZ dose. CPZ-induced animals had unsuccessful mating and decreased pregnancy rate. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggest that CPZ-induced disturbances not only depend on prolactin level but the increased prolactin level is largely dose-dependent.