Tehran University Medical Journal

Background: Heroin is one of the opiates which is used, as the most addictive drugs, in Iran. Considering the damaging effects of these drugs on the health of opiate addicts, investigation on the effects of heroin used in Iran, on male genital indicators including daily sperm production and its development, which has an essential role in fertility, seems to be necessary.

Materials and Methods: A total of 70 Bulb/c mature male mice, were divided into 5 groups of control, [intact (n=10), sham I (n=10) sham II (n=10)] and experimental groups [I (n=20), II (n=20], and 50 days after addiction to heroin (50 mg/kg) via intra peritoneal injection (IP), 6 mice from each groups were selected and after euthenizing, the testes and epididymes were removed. The rate of daily sperm production (DSP), epididymic sperm preservation (ESP) and the rate of sperm motility were measured accurately.

Results: In the study of the effect of heroin on daily sperm production and sperm preservation between the control and experimental groups, no significant differences were observed. The effect of heroin on sperm motility between control and experimental groups, the difference were significant (P<0/05).

Conclusions: In this survey, it was indicated that, the heroin used in Iran, causes a decrease in healthy sperms of mice their motility, and consequently can affect on genital indicators.