Effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on in vitro energy substrate metabolism in mouse and rat testis.

In this in vitro radiorespirometric study, the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on glucose and fructose metabolism in the rat and mouse testes were compared. In the rat testis, THC caused a dose-dependent decrease of 15, 18, 20 and 25% in glucose metabolism with 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mM concentrations. Similarly, a 39% inhibition in fructose metabolism was observed when rat testes were exposed to 0.3 mM THC. The comparative studies with mouse testis indicated that 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mM THC produced a 4, 12 and 30% decrease in glucose utilization where as a much greater decrease of 13, 30 and 41% in fructose utilization was observed with the same doses of THC. On the basis of these observations in these two animal models, it is concluded that THC has the ability to inhibit energy substrates utilization in the rat and mouse testis. This inhibition of cellular energetics may, in part, be responsible for most of the gonadal effects of THC.