The effect of anticonvulsant drugs on the development of male rats and their fertility.

Albino male rats were injected with diphenylhydantoin, carbamazepine, valproic acid or clonazepam for three months immediately after weaning. Following the treatment the fertility of the rats was tested by caging them with proestrus females and recording impregnations. The males were decapitated and their sex organs weighed. Epididymal sperm content and motility rate were recorded. A decrease in the prostate weight was found in the valproic acid and the carbamazepine treated rats. Epididymal weights were found decreased only in the valproic acid treated rats. These rats had diminished sperm content and sperm motility and their fertility was decreased. Carbamazepine treated rats had a lowered epididymal sperm content which did not affect their fertility.