Effects of Gonadotrophic Hormones on the Concentration of Ascorbic Acid of the Rat Ovary

Abstract

The ascorbic acid concentration of the ovary was measured using the method of Schaffert and Kingsley (1955). It was found that there were no significant differences in the ascorbic acid concentration of immature ovaries from 3 line-bred strains of rats. These strains do differ in body weights and weights of ovaries. The ascorbic acid concentration of the mature ovary was found to vary with the estrous cycle. It is highest in diestrus and lowest at estrus. Hormones were given intravenously to 30-day rats which had not been pretreated with hormones and whose left ovary had been removed. The right ovary was removed 1 hr later and the concentration of ascorbic acid compared with that of the left ovary. FSH and LH were found to decrease the concentration of ascorbic acid, while LTH growth hormone and denatured FSH did not do so. FSH did not decrease the ascorbic acid concentration in similarly treated hypophysectomized rats. Hormones were given subcutaneously to 30-day rats whose left ovary had been removed. The right ovary was removed 24 hr later and the concentration of ascorbic acid was compared with that of the left. FSH caused an increase in ascorbic acid concentration of the right ovary, while LH and LTH caused a decrease in concentration when compared with right ovaries from saline-injected animals.