RETARDATION OF SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT IN FEMALE RATS DUE TO IPRONIAZID TREATMENT

Abstract
Prolonged oral administration of iproniazid dihydrochloride to female rats, in daily doses of 53-224 mg./kg., causes alterations in the sexual function and in the hypophysis. The drug retards sexual maturation, lengthens the estrous cycle, inhibits corpus luteum formation, leads to the appearance of "deficiency cells" and hypotrophy of the ovarian interstitial tissue. Retarded uterine development is also observable. All these changes are transient and probably due to a partial blockade of ICSH secretion.