Objective   To investigate the effect of alcohol consumption on the testis spermatogenesis and serum sexual hormones testosterone(T) luteinizing hormones(LH)follicle stimulating hormones(FSH) of male rats.

  Methods   40 healthy Sprague-Dawley adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups.Different doses of alcohol(0, 2.7, 4.5, 7.5 g/kg) were adminstrated to the rats for 13 weeks by a gastric tube.The sperm counting, motility and the percent of abnormal sperm were observed.Serum sexual hormones(T, LH, FSH)were determined.The pathol gical changes of testicle tissue of rats were simultaneously observed by microscopy.

  Results   Compared with control group, the sperm counting and motility of the three alcohol groups were decreased(P < 0.05).The frequency of abnormal sperm was increased(P < 0.05).Light microscopic evaluation of oestes revealed germ cells degeneration in tubular lumina of alcohol-treated rats.The degree of testicular injury was associated with the dose of alcohol.Serum T level of each alcohol-treated group was significantly lower than that of the control group(P < 0.01).Serum L H and FSH levels of alcohol-treated rats were also lower than those of controls(P < 0.05).

  Conclusion   Alcohol is a known testicular toxin and its chronic use leads to spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis inhibition as well as hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction in gonadotropin release.