INFLUENCE OF SOME STEROID HORMONES ON LACTATION IN ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS1

Abstract

The effects of various steroids of adrenal cortex and gonads on the deficient lactation of adrenalectomized rats were studied. There were indications that all substances known to relieve adrenal insufficiency were somewhat helpful, presumably because of their maintenance of a generally improved health (electrolyte metabolism?). Desoxycorticosterone acetate gave variable results; it was helpful in some but not all animals and in no case maintained lactation equal to the avg. control figure. Normal lactation (for the first 17 days) was obtained only with Compound E[long dash]Kendall and the whole extract of the adrenal cortex, a fact which suggests that full-fledged mammary secretion is dependent on those adrenal factors which affect primarily carbohydrate metabolism. Such a conclusion is not consistent with all other work on the subject. Estrogen and androgen inhibited lactation even in small doses. Progesterone did not inhibit lactation.