EFFECTS OF ANDROGENIC STEROLS IN HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED AND IN CASTRATED RATS

Abstract

The effects of androgens (dehydroandrosterone acetate, androstenediol, testosterone propionate, testosterone oxime, and testosterone oxime pro-pionate) on the sex glands of hypophysectomized and of castrated rats were investigated. When injs. were begun 1 day after hypophysectomy, varying degrees of tubular maintenance were induced, depending upon the substance used, but atrophy of the interstitial cells was not prevented. Injs. in hypophysectomized rats begun after involution of the testes had already occurred failed to have any stimulating action on germinal or interstitial tissue. Varying degrees of maintenance of the seminal vesicles, prostate, and scrotum were caused in hypophysectomized and in castrated rats, if [male] hormone injs. were begun 1 day after the operations; repair of the seminal vesicles and prostate and to some extent of the scrotum also occurred in previously hypophysectomized animals. In castrated rats, some of the substances prevented castration effects and some even caused basophilic degranulation. The tubular preservation observed in hypophysectomized animals was brought about indirectly by virtue of the scrotal maintenance induced by the [male] hormones.