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EFFECTS OF RESERPINE, p-CHLOROPHENYLALANINE, -METHYLTYROSINE, THYMOXAMINE OR METHALLIBURE ON PITUITARY FSH IN MALE RATS

Summary.: Drugs were injected on experimental Days 2 to 5 into mature male rats that were (1) intact, (2) castrated on Day 1, or (3) castrated on Day 1 and treated with testosterone. The animals were killed on Day 7 and the pituitary FSH content compared with that of controls. Methallibure prevented the rise in FSH content caused by testosterone in the third group and reduced pituitary FSH in intact rats: this may have resulted from inhibition of FSH synthesis. Methallibure increased pituitary FSH in castrated rats, probably by inhibiting its secretion. Reserpine increased FSH content in each type of animal and p-chlorophenylalanine increased it in all but intact rats: these drugs probably inhibit FSH secretion. The FSH content was reduced by -methyltyrosine in testosterone-treated castrated rats while thymoxamine increased it in such animals and in intact rats. These findings do not clarify the rôle of catecholamines in FSH secretion. The similarity of the effects of reserpine and p-chlorophenylalanine supports the suggestion that 5-hydroxytryptamine plays an excitatory rôle in FSH secretion.