andrologia zyxwvutsrq 21, (3): 199-203 (1989) Received March 3, 1988 Department of Physiology, University of Calcutta, Calcutta/India. Effect of Lithium Chloride on Spermatogenesis, Testicular A5 zyxwv - 3 p - and 17 p -Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Activitis in Toad (Bufo melanostictus) Uber den EinflulS von Lithiumchlorid auf die Spermatogenese und die Hoden-As - 3 fi -und 17 fi - zy hydroxysteroid-Dehydrogenase-Aktivitat bei der Krote (Bufo melanostictus) P.K. Ghosh, M. Sarkar, P. Ghosh, A.K. Ghosh and D. Ghosh Key words: Lithium, spermatogenesis - AS-3P-HSD - 17fi-HSD - spermatogenesis, lithium Summary: The purpose of the present study was to show the effects of lithium on testicular activitiesin the toad. Adult male toads were injected with lithium chloride (200 pgltoad) on alternate days for 21 days. At the moment of sacrifice on 22nd day, lithium treated animals showed decreases in testicular weight and Leydig cell nuclear area along with inhibition of spermatogenesis and testicular A5-3(3 as well as 17P-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenaseactivi- ties. The results of our present experiment suggest that lithium administration might be as- sociated with significant adverse effects on testicular activity in toad. Zusammenfassung: AnlaB der vorgelegten Untersuchung war es, den EinfluB von Lithium auf die Aktivitat des Hodens bei der Krote zu studieren. Erwachsene mannliche Kroten er- hielten Injektionen von Lithiumchlorid (200 pg/Krote) alternativ uber 21 Tage. Am 22. Tag wurden sie getotet; dabei zeigten die mit Lithiumchlorid behandelten Kroten einen Ab- fall des Hodengewichtes und des Bezirkes der Lydigzellen mit Hemmung der Spermatoge- nese und der Hodenaktivitat fur die Enzyme A5-3 fi sowie 17P-Hydroxysteroiddehydroge- nase. Die Ergebnisse legen es nahe, daB die Anwendung von Lithium vergesellschaftet ist mit signifikanten gegensatzlichen Wirkungen auf die Hodenaktivitat. Introduction Lithium, an alkali metal, is now widely used in the treatment of acute mania and prophy- laxis of manic-depressive psychosis (Baastrup, 1980; Kocsis, 1980; Prien, 1975; Schou, 1968). Although the thera- peutic usefulness of lithium remains indis- putable, the mechanisms by whch this metal exerts its effects on the brain remains unclear. It has been demonstrated that there is an wide range of adverse effects on meta- bolic and endocrine functions following li- thium treatment in psychotic patients (Man- nisto, 1980). Lithium treatment has also been reported to cause hypothyroidism (Mannisto, 1980), hyper adrenocortical ac- tivity (Banerjee and Mayer, 1983) and acute