Induction of Ovarian Growth with an Extract Made From Blood of Pregnant Women. 20

Abstract

In a previous communication 1 a method was described for preparing a crude but highly active extract of an ovary-stimulating principle from blood of pregnant women. It was also pointed out that this extract readily induced luteinization in the ovaries of immature rats, but as had already been observed with the “anterior-pituitary-like” principle from the placenta (Collip, et al. 2 ) and with prolan (Evans, Meyer, and Simpson 3 ), it does not stimulate the rapid development of graafian follicles such as results from the implantation of fresh anterior pituitary tissue. In 5-day experiments it has thus not been possible to produce any increase in ovarian weight beyond the limit found in normal adult animals.

It has now been found, however, that marked ovarian growth may be induced by using larger doses over longer periods of time. A total of 50 animals w7ere given 2 daily injections of the extract in doses equivalent to 0.22 ccm. of the original blood plasma and the administration continued for periods up to 29 days. The treatments were begun in rats 21 or 22 days of age. In a group of 4 rats injected for 3 weeks the average body weight was 58 gm. and the weights of the ovaries varied from 126 to 174 mg., while after 4 weeks the body weight of 6 rats averaged 94 gm. and ovarian weights of from 84 to 293 mg. were obtained. The average weight of the 2 ovaries in a series of 13 uninjected control rats, 49 days of age, body weight 79 gm., was 19 mg. The average ovarian weights of 9 of these which had not reached sexual maturity was 15 mg., while it was 30 mg. in 4 whose vaginal orifice had become established.