THE POSSIBLE MODE OF ACTION OF PROSTAGLANDINS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Unilateral ovariectomy in cyclic rats caused a 37.1% gain in weight of the remaining ovaries and doubling of the number of ovulated ova in the following cycle over that observed in their operated counterpart. Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), a very consistent luteolytic agent assumed to act by restricting the blood flow to the ovaries, failed to reverse the compensatory ovulation and hypertrophy of the surviving ovaries in the hemispayed rats even when a reasonably large dose of the drug was injected immediately following the operation on day 1 and repeated again on day 3 of the cycle. The surviving ovaries of the respective groups of the treated animals weighed 41.33±0.5 and 41.6±1.1 as compared to their operated counterparts i. e. 28.2 ±0.7 and 28.75 ±0.5. The possible mode of action of PGF2α in the regulation of ovarian physiology is discussed.