Abstract
Histological and physiological variations of the pituitary as a result of urinary hebin have been observed by numerous workers. We wish to present evidence of morphological changes, indicated by organ weights, of the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands.
Castrate rats were used in order to eliminate the excessive ovarian secretions that result from injections of urinary hebin. A commercial preparation of urinary hebin (Antuitrin “S”) was used.
Forty-two female adult albino rats were treated in 2 groups: Eight rats received 50 rat units of Antuitrin “S” on the twenty-fifth day after castration and daily for the ensuing 9 days. Twenty-seven rats received 25 rat units of Antuitrin “S” daily on the 22nd day after castration and for the following 5 days. At the end of the period of injection the glands were removed and weighed on a torsion balance.
Forty-six adult albino female rats were castrated in 3 groups and sacrificed as non-injected castrate controls as follows: 14 rats, 28 days after castration; 26 rats, 36 days after castration; 6 rats, 27 days after castration.
To facilitate graphic presentation of the data, the weight of the gland in milligrams was divided by the weight of the rat in grams and this factor multiplied by a constant. The result was designated as F K.
There was a slight variation in the experimental group as a result of variation of the dosage. This was not marked but the tendency seemed to indicate that the increase in weight of pituitary and adrenals is not in direct proportion to the dose.
The pituitaries were increased in weight 29.7%, the adrenals 37.5%, and the thyroid 8.4% as compared with the non-injected control group.
Conclusion. Antuitrin “S” increased the weights of the pituitaries, adrenals and thyroid in castrate rats.
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