Serum testosterone, testicular connective tissue protein and testicular histology in rats treated with hyperbaric oxygen.

This study was done to ascertain whether hyperbaric oxygenation really affects testicular activity in rats. We evaluated serum testosterone concentration, testicular content of connective tissue protein and histological analysis of testes in each rat treated with 2 or 3 atmospheric pressures associated with oxygen saturation, together or singly for 90 minutes daily for 58 days. There were no significant differences in serum testosterone concentrations between the examined groups. The amounts of collagen, non-collagenous protein or elastin in testis were similar in all groups except one set of determinations. In addition, no prominent histological differences were noted in the testes of the animals. Thus, the pressure environment of this study, which can be regarded as almost the same as that of the hyperbaric oxygenation chamber in clinical use, appears to be nontoxic to rat testes.