The effect of alprazolam on the ovary of Trichogaster trichopterus after bromocriptine injection.

This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of alprazolam on sex steroids, ovarian tissue development and oocyte ultrastructure of three spot gourami after bromocriptine induction. A number of 90 adult female three spot gourami fish were purchased and divided into six groups of 15, including intact control group, solvent control group, bromocriptine control group, and three treatment groups receiving bromocriptine with a dose of 1 mg /kg and alprazolam with three doses of 1, 2, and 4 mg/kg. The drugs were injected intramuscularly in such a way that, control and treatment groups received bromocriptine in one day and the next day treatment groups received different doses of alprazolam. After completing the injections, the fish were euthanized and dissected. The ovaries of the fish were also removed to be examined by optical and electron microscopes. The tissue fluid was used to measure steroid hormones by ELISA kit. In the bromocriptine control group, steroid hormones had a sharp drop and the oocytes were in the peri-nucleolar stage. In treatment groups with bromocriptine and alprazolam at a dose of 4 mg/kg, the levels of 17β-estradiol and testosterone was higher than all control and treatment groups (p<0.01) and oocytes were in vitellogenin stage. Therefore, a high dose of Alprazolam was the stimulant of gonadal development and oocyte growth in three spot gourami fish. it can be concluded that bromocriptine blocked the HPG axis and alprazolam caused re-stimulation of this axis, oocyte maturation and ovarian sex steroid secretion.