Chirurgia · Sep 2026
Adrenal cortical changes in castrated male rats could counteract testosterone deficiency
By SHUKRI ME, Hameed AF, Al-thamiree SSM et al.
BACKGROUND: The adrenal gland produces a quarter of circulating testosterone, and this activity changes with aging. The aim of the current is to investigate the histological changes that occur in the adrenal cortex of castrated aged male rats and illustrate the compensatory role of the adrenal gland in testosterone production.METHODS: Three groups of rats (12 each) were used. The first two groups were young mature rats, one of the groups underwent surgical castration while the other remained as control. The third group represented the senile rats. The adrenals of the animals were weighed and examined microscopically for histological changes using aniline blue and eosin yellow stain. Histological features and adrenocortical zone widths were recorded and statistically compared.RESULTS: Relative adrenal weight was highest in castrated rats and lowest in senile rats. Zonal widths differed significantly among the three groups and a fourth zona intermedia (ZI) was found only in senile rats. Zona reticularis (ZR) was thickest and most active in castrated rats. Zona fasciculate (ZF) remained the thickest zone in all groups but was most active in senile rats.CONCLUSIONS: The results provide evidence that adrenocortical growth and histology is affected by growth and castration in relation to sudden hormonal deprivation (as in castration), or gradual hormonal change (as in aging). Luteinizing hormone plays a vital role in affecting the adrenal cortex after castration, while the hypothalamic-pituitary axis is more influential in aging and castration such as prostatic cancer.