Comparison of the effects of stanozolol, oxymetholone, and testosterone cypionate on the sexual behavior of castrated male rats.

Abstract

In 3 experiments, adult male Long-Evans rats were castrated and treated daily with an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) compound (either stanozolol, oxymetholone, or testosterone cypionate) for 6 weeks. Subjects were assigned to 5 groups that received injections of a high, medium, or low dose of the AAS, testosterone propionate, or the oil vehicle. Stanozolol failed to maintain ejaculation at any dose tested. Although some subjects receiving the low dose of oxymetholone ejaculated, oxymetholone generally failed to stimulate ejaculation above the levels of the oil group. Testosterone cypionate sustained ejaculation at all doses tested. The relative potency of the medium dose of each AAS in the sex accessory tissues was (from most potent to least potent): testosterone cypionate > stanozolol = oxymetholone = oil. Thus, these 3 AAS compounds produced a range of behavioral and endocrine responses in castrated male rats.

Effects of pubertal anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) administration on reproductive and aggressive behaviors in male rats.

“…Three experimental groups received 5 mg/kg sc testosterone, nandrolone, or stanozolol (Sigma Chemicals, St. Louis, MO). This dose is similar to those used in other rodent AAS studies (Breuer et al, 2001; Clark & Fast, 1996; Clark & Harrold, 1997; Clark et al, 1997; Harrison et al, 2000; McGinnis, Lumia, Breuer, & Possidente, 2002; Melloni et al, 1997). All steroids were dissolved in polyethylene glycol 200 (PEG-200).…”

Intracerebroventricular Self-Administration of Commonly Abused Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids in Male Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus): Nandrolone, Drostanolone, Oxymetholone, and Stanozolol.

“…Oral androgens are also ineffective in stimulating other aspects of rodent social behavior. In gonad-intact male rats, chronic exposure to stanozolol or oxymetholone reduced serum testosterone levels and suppressed copulatory behavior (Clark et al, 1997; Clark & Harrold, 1997). Indeed, stanozolol has been shown to decrease aggression in male rats (Breuer et al, 2001; Clark & Barber, 1994; McGinnis et al, 2002).…”

“…The fast-acting injectable, drostanolone, is a 5α-reduced androgen derived from DHT (de Boer, de Jong, Maes, & van Rossum, 1992). The 17α-methylated androgens oxymetholone and stanozolol are taken orally (Clark & Harrold, 1997). In particular, stanozolol is popular among female AAS users because of its low androgenic potency (Tricker et al, 1989).…”

Testosterone as a discriminative stimulus in male rats

“…Nonetheless, different AAS have a spectrum of behavioral effects. In this regard, testosterone stimulates sexual and aggressive behavior in rats (Clark and Harrold, 1997; Farrell and McGinnis, 2003), nandrolone (a long-acting AAS) has more modest effects (Clark and Fast, 1996; Farrell and McGinnis, 2003), and stanozolol (an orally-active AAS) inhibits both mating and aggression (Clark et al, 1997; Farrell and McGinnis, 2003). Hamsters show similar rates of self-administration for testosterone (Wood et al, 2004), dihydrotestosterone (DHT, the major non-aromatizable androgenic metabolite of testosterone; DiMeo and Wood, 2006), nandrolone, and drostanolone (a short-acting AAS; Ballard and Wood, 2005).…”

“…200 g BW) will self-administer 600 ug of testosterone iv (3 mg/kg) over a 4-hour test session (Wood et al, 2004). With chronic exposure at 5–7.5 mg/kg, testosterone stimulates sexual and aggressive behavior in male rats (Clark and Harrold, 1997; Farrell and McGinnis; 2003). In the present study, only 15 mg/kg testosterone was beyond the range normally tested in the laboratory.…”