Eicosanoids play an important role in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis; less clear is their role in testicular steroidogenesis. To evaluate the involvement of cyclooxygenase metabolites, such as prostaglandins, in the regulation of human testicular steroidogenesis, we examined the effects of a prostaglandin-blocker, aspirin, on plasma testosterone, pregnenolone, progesterone, 17OH-progesterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and 17beta-estradiol response to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in normal male volunteers in a placebo-controlled, single-blinded study. To test the efficacy of aspirin, seminal prostaglandin E(2) levels were also determined. hCG stimulation increased peripheral levels of testosterone, 17OH-progesterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and 17beta-estradiol, without affecting circulating pregnenolone and progesterone values. Aspirin significantly lowered seminal prostaglandin E(2) levels, whereas it did not modify steroid concentrations not exposed to exogenous hCG. Moreover, the drug significantly reduced the response of testosterone, 17OH-progesterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone to hCG, as assessed by the mean integrated area under the curve, whereas it did not influence 17beta-estradiol response. In conclusion, aspirin treatment inhibits androgen response to chorionic gonadotropin stimulation in normal humans. The action of aspirin is probably mediated via an effective arachidonate cyclooxygenase block.