Continuous administration of
LHRH agonists in high doses disrupts pituitary and testicular function, thus providing an approach to male
fertility control. However,
testosterone supplementation is required to prevent the side effects associated with low
androgen concentrations resulting from chronic
LHRH agonist treatment. Three adult male rhesus monkeys were treated with the
LHRH agonist,
Buserelin, using osmotic minipumps implanted subcutaneously.
Testosterone was administered simultaneously via
Silastic capsules. This combined treatment led to a marked decrease in testicular volume, and all animals were oligospermic within 8-15 weeks of treatment.
Azoospermia was, however, not achieved even after 22 weeks of treatment although in a previous study in which the
LHRH agonist had been administered alone,
azoospermia had been achieved after 8-10 weeks. It is concluded that in this primate species
testosterone supplementation attenuates the suppressive effects of
LHRH agonist infusion on spermatogenesis.