Compensatory ovarian hypertrophy during alloxan diabetes and adrenoreceptor blockade

The sexual cycle ceases in rats with alloxan diabetes. Chronic administration of phentolamine promoted interruption of the sexual cycle while obsidan was conducive to its preservation in part of the animals. Most diabetic rats both given and not given adrenoblockers showed the complete absence of compensatory hypertrophy of the ovary (CHO). As shown by the analysis, the content of gonadotropins in the pituitary glands of diabetic rats was increased, with the response to chorionic gonadotropin being close to normal. It is suggested that the absence of CHO in most diabetic rats can be accounted for by the fact that after removal of one ovary the hypothalamohypophyseal system does not secrete gonadotropins in adequate amounts.