Dose-finding study of oral desogestrel with testosterone pellets for suppression of the pituitary–testicular axis in normal men*
Open Access
- 1 July 2000
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Human Reproduction
- Vol. 15 (7), 1515-1524
- https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/15.7.1515
Abstract
Prototype hormonal male contraceptive regimens generally achieve only incomplete suppression to azoospermia with potentially adverse metabolic effects. We have carried out a short-term dose-finding study to investigate the potential of an oral gestogen, desogestrel, with testosterone pellets. Normal men received a single dose of 300 mg testosterone with 75 μg, 150 μg or 300 μg desogestrel daily for 8 weeks (n = 10 per group). LH and FSH were rapidly suppressed, with little difference between groups. Testosterone concentrations fell slightly during treatment with evidence of a linear dosage effect. Plasma inhibin B showed minor changes, but in seminal plasma it was suppressed, becoming undetectable in all men in the 300 μg desogestrel group. There were no significant changes in lipoproteins, fibrinogen or sexual behaviour during treatment, and minor falls in haematocrit and haemoglobin concentration. Sperm concentration fell in a dose-dependent manner, with three men, one man and seven men in the three groups respectively achieving severe oligozoospermia (6/ml), and three men achieving azoospermia in the 300 μg group despite the short duration of the study. The combination of oral desogestrel with depot testosterone thus results in profound suppression of gonadotrophin secretion without adverse metabolic or behavioural effects. Desogestrel with a long-acting testosterone preparation is a promising approach to hormonal male contraception.Keywords
This publication has 41 references indexed in Scilit:
- Clinical Trial of Transdermal Testosterone and Oral Levonorgestrel for Male ContraceptionJournal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 1999
- Inhibin B in seminal plasma: testicular origin and relationship to spermatogenesisHuman Reproduction, 1998
- Comparison between testosterone oenanthate-induced azoospermia and oligozoospermia in a male contraceptive study. IV. Suppression of endogenous testicular and adrenal androgens.Human Reproduction, 1997
- Physiological relationships between inhibin B, follicle stimulating hormone secretion and spermatogenesis in normal men and response to gonadotrophin suppression by exogenous testosteroneHuman Reproduction, 1997
- Effect of testosterone enanthate on serum lipoproteins in manContraception, 1995
- Metabolic and behavioral effects of high-dose, exogenous testosterone in healthy menJournal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 1994
- Physiological levels of estradiol stimulate plasma high density lipoprotein2 cholesterol levels in normal menJournal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 1994
- Comparative pharmacokinetics of androgen preparations: Application of computer analysis and simulationPublished by Springer Science and Business Media LLC ,1990
- Study of medroxyprogesterone acetate and testosterone enanthate as a male contraceptiveContraception, 1977
- Attainment and maintenance of azoospermia with combined monthly injections of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate and testosterone enanthateContraception, 1977