The Effect of Gabapentin on Oogenesis and Gonadotropic Female Sex Hormones in Adult Female Mice

Gabapentin, in addition to being an antiepileptic drug, also works against neuropathic pain. Despite the different therapeutic effects of gabapentin, no study has been performed on its effects on the process of oogenesis and female sex hormones. This study was performed to assess the effect of gabapentin on oogenesis and gonadotropic female sex hormones in adult female mice.

30 adult female mice (average age of 7 to 8 weeks, weighing 25 to 30 g) were randomly divided into 5 equal groups of control, sham, and three experimental groups. The control group did not receive any drug. The sham group received intraperitoneal normal saline and the experimental group received intraperitoneal injection of 1.8, 3.6, and 5.4 mg/kg gabapentin daily for 20 days. The level of estrogen, progesterone, follicle stimulating, and luteinizing hormones was measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. The changes in ovarian tissue, number of ovarian follicles, and their corpus luteum were studied, too. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA test.

The mean number of primary follicles and luteinizing hormone in the treatment groups were not significantly different from the control group (P > 0.050). The mean number of secondary follicles and graph, as well as estrogen hormone, decreased in the treatment groups compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Mean ovarian weight, as well as progesterone and follicular stimulation hormones, significantly decreased in the treatment groups compared to the control group (P < 0.050). The mean number of yellow bodies in the treated groups was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.001).

 Gabapentin, in high doses, affects the reproductive system function of the female mice, and can impair follicogenesis and steroidization in the ovarian tissue, which can have a negative effect on female fertility.</div>