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. 2025 Jun 18.
doi: 10.1007/s00213-025-06836-5. Online ahead of print.

Omega-3 fatty acids improves tamoxifen-induced sexual dysfunction in male Wistar rats by modulating NO/cGMP signaling and monoamine neurotransmitters activities

Adeyemi Fatai Odetayo  1   2 , Roland Eghoghosoa Akhigbe  3   4 , Moses Agbomhere Hamed  5   6 , Afsat Motunrayo Busari  7 , Aishat Oladoyin Ojewale-Jimoh  7 , David Tolulope Oluwole  8 , Adeyemi Fatai Odetayo  7   9
Affiliations

Omega-3 fatty acids improves tamoxifen-induced sexual dysfunction in male Wistar rats by modulating NO/cGMP signaling and monoamine neurotransmitters activities

Adeyemi Fatai Odetayo et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl). .

Abstract

Introduction: Tamoxifen (TAM) is an off-label treatment option for men with breast cancer, infertility, and gynecomastia. Unfortunately, one of the undesirable effects of TAM is sexual dysfunction. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the possible associated mechanisms with TAM-induced sexual dysfunction and the possible ameliorative effect of omega-3 fatty acids (O3FA).

Methodology: Animals were randomly divided into control, O3FA, TAM, and TAM + O3FA. All treatment lasted for 28 days.

Results: TAM exposure impaired sperm qualities (count, motility, viability, and normal morphology) and led to a decline in serum testosterone and an increase in luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, and estradiol. Furthermore, TAM led to an increase in mount, intromission, and ejaculation latencies and a decrease in their corresponding frequencies. It also led to a decrease in motivation to mate and an increase in post-ejaculatory interval. These events were associated with impaired pregnancy outcomes, hormonal imbalance, a decrease in nitric oxide/cyclic cyclic guanosine monophosphate and dopamine and an increase in acetylcholine esterase and serotonin activities. These observed TAM-induced sexual dysfunction markers were ameliorated in animals that received O3FA and TAM co-treatment.

Conclusions: O3FA ameliorates TAM-induced sexual dysfunction.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Erectile dysfunction; Libido; Penile erection; Selective estrogen receptor modulators; Sexual desire.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The animals were carefully handled as stated by the National Institute of Health (NIH), and ARRIVE guidelines for reporting experimental findings were strictly followed. The experimental research protocol was designed according to the National Research Council’s guidelines for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, and ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional ethical review committee before the commencement of the research work. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Conflicting interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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