[Effect of vasectomy on arginase's activity in accessory sexual glands of rats].

Background: Although vasectomy is the most used contraceptive method, its effect over male biochemical and physiological parameters has not been evaluated.

Objective: To study the effect of vasectomy on arginase activity in accessory sex glands of the rat.

Material And Methods: Twenty male healthy rats weighing 300-350 g were divided into four groups (n = 5). Groups I, II and III were vasectomized, and group IV was the control group. In order to measure the activity of arginase in the accessory sex glands, glucose, triglycerides and protein concentration, as well as arginase activity in serum, rats were killed at 4, 30 and 60 days post-surgery.

Results: The biochemical parameters of serum changed following vasectomy, but it is possible that these changes were at random. However, arginase activity in serum in accessory sex glands was not affected by vasectomy.

Conclusion: Vasectomy does not affect arginase activity in accessory sex glands of male rats in spite of the high activity observed in short time in both coagulant and bulbourethral glands. Changes observed in serum biochemical parameters, which included glucose, triglycerides, proteins, arginase and alkaline phosphatase activities, were not relevant.