Effects of Dehydroepiandrosterone on Gross Morphology and Behavior of Perimenopausal Rats

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The androgenic adrenal steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has many biological activities. It decreases with age, so exogenous DHEA supplementation is being commonly used especially in the perimenopausal women. The objective of the study was to determine the side effects of DHEA on perimenopausal rat's. DHEA was administered at 3 doses: 50, 75, and 150 mg/kg for two consecutive months. The results showed that DHEA administration decreases the body weight gain, causes dorsal fur loss, with many behavioral changes. The observations increased in a dose-dependent manner. Based on the current data, high doses of DHEA have adverse effects on body weight, fur density, and behavior of perimenopausal rats.

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