Relative Efficacy of Melatonin and 5‐Methoxytryptamine in Terms of Their Antigonadotrophic and Counterantigonadotrophic Actions in Male Syrian Hamsters

Russel J. Reiter, Anke Holtorf, Thomas H. Champney, Mary K. Vaughan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Antigonadotrophic and counterantigonadotrophic activities of melatonin and 5‐methoxytryptamine (5‐MT) were quantitatively compared in male Syrian hamsters. In long day conditions, the daily afternoon administration of either 5, 15, 25, 50, 100 or 200 μg melatonin induced testicular regression within 10 wk; under the same circumstances, only the 200‐μg dosage of 5‐MT was able to suppress testicular weights. Thus, 5‐MT appears to have about one‐tenth the antigonadotrophic action of melatonin in the male Syrian hamster. In short days, the subcutaneous implantation of either 50 or 100 μg melatonin (every 2 wk in beeswax) prevented testicular regression whereas it required much larger doses of 5‐MT (1 mg every 2 wk in beeswax) to achieve the same counterantigonadotrophic action. In terms of both their antigonadotrophic and counterantigonadotrophic effects, hamsters seem to be more sensitive to melatonin than to 5‐MT.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)91-98
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of pineal research
Volume1
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1984

Keywords

  • 5‐methoxytryptamine
  • Syrian hamster
  • melatonin
  • pineal gland
  • testes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrinology

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