Antiprostatic effect of cimetidine in rats

Administration of large doses of cimetidine for 45 days to rats decreases the weight of the prostate and seminal vesicles without affecting the testicles. The decrease in weight is due to a marked regression in the prostate of both epithelial and stromal tissue. Treatment with cimetidine also causes an increase in the plasma testosterone level without modifying the plasma values of LH and prolactin. The mechanism of action of cimetidine is discussed. In presence of high levels of testosterone, cimetidine depresses structures such as the prostate and seminal vesicles, which are sensitive to androgens, but does not depress the weight or change the histology profile of the testicles, which are also rich in androgen receptors. Perhaps cimetidine binds to androgen receptors differently in the prostate and in the testicles because of differences in receptor structure or more probably, cimetidine interacts with zinc metal ion essential to prostate growth and androgen action by lowering zinc prostatic levels and consequently depresses the prostatic weight.