Abstract: BACKGROUND AND AIM: Study on toxicity effects of aconitine on rat Leydig cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary cultured cells of rat Leydig cells was used in this study. Leydig cells were isolated from testis of adult male SD rats. To purify Leydig cells, testicular cells were centrifuged with discontinuous Percoll gradients, and the Leydig cells were identified by 3β-HSD staining. Leydig cells were exposed to aconitine with concentrations of 5×10, 5×102, 5×103 and 5×104 ng/ml. Cell viability was determined by the MTT method. Concentration of MDA and activity of SOD were determined by assay kits, and concentration of testosterone in the media were measured by specific radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Cell viability showed no significant difference in all aconitine dose groups compared to DMSO control group at 24 h and 48 h culture period(P>0.05).Concentration of MDA and activity of SOD revealed no significant difference in all aconitine dose groups compared to DMSO control group at 24 h culture period (P>0.05). The concentration of testosterone also showed no significant difference in all dose groups compared to DMSO control group at 4 h culture period(P>0.05). CONCLUSION:This study demonstrated that aconitine at 5×10, 5×102, 5×103 and 5×104 ng/ml demonstrated no obvious toxicity on Leydig cells.

Key words: aconitine, male rats, Leydig cell, testosterone