Horm Metab Res 1982; 14(2): 89-92
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1018931
© Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart · New York

The Effect of Methionine Enkephalin on Prolactin and Luteinizing Hormone Levels in Intact and Castrated Rats

Rita Goldberg1 , N. Conforti2 , I. M. Spitz1
  • 1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, Jerusalem, Israel
  • 2Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Neurology, Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
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Publikationsverlauf

1981

1981

Publikationsdatum:
14. März 2008 (online)

Summary

The methionine enkephalin (ME) induced responses of prolactin (PRL) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were studied in control and castrated rats bearing chronically-implanted cannulae in the right lateral ventricle. In control rats, 500 μg ME caused a rise in PRL from a mean ± SD basal value of 22.8 ± 12.2 ng/ml to a peak of 195.2 ± 93.8 ng/ml (p < 0.001). The peak occurred 10 min after ME administration and was short-lived. In the same rats, 14 days after castration, there was a significant reduction in both basal (p < 0.001) and peak PRL response to ME (p < 0.01), similar to that previously observed with other PRL-inducing stimuli. LH levels, on the other hand, were unaffected by ME treatment in both control and castrated rats.