THE INACTIVATION OF PREGNANT MARES' SERUM G0NAD0TR6PHIN BY HYDROQUINONES AND QUINONES

Abstract

Pregnant mares' serum (PMS) when incubated in vitro with hydroquinones and quinones loses its gonadotrophic activity. The influence of the incubation conditions on this process has been examined. Hydroquinones did not inactivate PMS unless they were first allowed to oxidize to the corresponding quinones. Þ-Benzoquinone was found to be more active than mono-substituted quinones and the di- and tetra-substituted quinones had little or no activity. The amorphous polymer “humic acid” formed by “ageing” p-benzoquinone solutions partially inactivated PMS but itwas much less active than the parent compound.