Minoxidil does not possess androgenic activity

Minoxidil is a potent antihypertensive vasodilator. One of the side effects of minoxidil is hirsutism. Therefore the hypothesis was tested whether minoxidil has androgenic effects. The weights of seminal mice vesicles, organs with a high sensitivity to androgens, are widely used as a sensitive bioassay for testing androgenic activity. Our results demonstrated that minoxidil in relatively high doses did not produce any significant changes in the weight of seminal vesicles of castrated mice. We conclude that minoxidil in this experimental model does not have any androgenic properties.