Physiological and biochemical changes after boldenone injection in adult rabbits

Abstract

Boldenone (BOL) is an androgenic steroid that improves the growth and food conversion in food-producing animals. In most countries worldwide, this anabolic steroid is forbidden for human uses and meat production as it was developed for veterinary use. Recently, BOL is used by bodybuilders in both off season and pre-contest, where it is well known for increasing vascularity while preparing for a bodybuilding contest. The present study was designed to investigate the physiological and biochemical changes in rabbits after injection with the growth promoter BOL. A total of 32 adult New Zealand rabbits were divided into four groups, where the control group includes animals that were injected intramuscularly with olive oil and dissected after 3 weeks. The remaining three experimental groups included animals that received one, two and three intramuscular injections of 5 mg/kg body weight BOL, respectively, and were dissected after 3, 6 and 9 weeks, respectively. The animals from practice appeared healthy and did not show clinical signs of disease and none of the rabbits died during the experimental period. Serum total protein, globulin, alanine aminotransferase, asparate aminotransferase, urea, creatinine, testosterone, luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were significantly increased while serum direct bilirubin, albumin and albumin/globulin ratio were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) after one, two and three intramuscular injections of BOL as compared to their relative values in the control group. These findings explain the common phenomena in athletes and bodybuilders who suffer from infertility, renal and hepatic alterations following injection with some drugs as steroids (BOL) to build muscles.

Boldenone-induced apoptotic, structural, and functional alterations in the liver of rabbits

“…Our results are in agreement with previous studies (El-Moghazy et al, 2012;Tousson et al, 2013). Moreover, similar results were recorded on AAS abuse (Urhausen et al, 2003).…”

P53 Expression in Response to Equigan Induced Testicular Injury and Oxidative Stress in Male Rat and the Possible Prophylactic Effect of Star Anise Extracts

“…Expression of P53 as apoptotic markers (P53-ir) in the testis sections were detected using avidin Biotin Complex (ABC) method according to Tousson et al [6].…”

“…Recently; anabolic-androgenic steroids are forbidden for meat production and human uses in most countries worldwide due to their undesirable effects included blood, cardiovascular disorders, liver dysfunction, kidney disease and testicular problems [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8].…”

Star anise extracts modulation of reproductive parameters, fertility potential and DNA fragmentation induced by growth promoter Equigan in rat testes

“…Anabolic-androgenic steroids are defined as synthetic derivatives of the endogenous sex hormone testosterone that plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissue (such as the testis and prostate) as well as in puberty, sexual behavior, spermatogenesis and plays promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased muscle, bone mass and hair growth (Mitchell et al, 2009;Balthazart, Ball, 2010;Mohammed et al, 2016). Anabolic steroids are forbidden for meat production and human use in KAS, and most countries worldwide due to their undesirable effects included blood and cardiovascular disorders (Santos et al, 2006;Tousson et al, 2016;Waljee et al, 2016), liver dysfunction (Van Amsterdam et al, 2010;Barakat et al, 2015), kidney disease (Barakat et al, 2015), tendon damage (Battista, Combs, Warne, 2003), testicular problems (Tousson et al, 2012;El-Masry et al, 2017), psychiatric and behavioural disorders in both sexes (Salas-Ramirez, Montalto, Sisk, 2010), as well as other problems on the human body (Saleh, Waded, 2014).…”