Abstract
Summary
Serum LH showed a transient increase 4 hr after ovariectomy in the hamster but it declined by 8 hr. By 24 hr serum LH was again significantly elevated and it increased to a plateau of 400 to 600 ng/ml at 3 to 4 wk.
Doses of pentobarbital and phenobarbital that are commonly used in experimental procedures in the hamster depressed LH levels while ether anesthesia resulted in an elevation of this hormone in the blood. Deep anesthesia accompanied pentobarbital temporary suppression of serum LH. However, phenobarbital, which did not anesthetize the animals, had a much more pronounced depressive effect on serum LH levels. Therefore, the effects of these drugs on circulating LH do not appear to be related to their anesthetic action.
We thank Drs. Gordon D. Niswender and Leo E. Reichert, Jr., and the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Disease Rat Pituitary Hormone Program for materials used in the radioimmuno-assay for LH.
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