抄録
Neurohumoral factors maintaining the balance between the hypothalamus and the pituitary have been studied in recent years with reference to the effects of various chemicals. The authors studied the influence of copper salts in vivo on the hypothalamic ovulatory hormone releasing factor. Crude hypothalamic extract was injected into the pituitary and the increase of the rate of ovulation was noted, as the concentration of the extract rose. Injection of a crude hypothalamic extract, prepared in the presence of copper, into the pituitary caused a pronounced increse in the rate of ovulation. This increase was proportional to the increase in concentration in copper and was greater than that in the case of injection of simple hypothalamic extract. Ovulation in response to injection of the hypothalamic extract within one hour after intravenous injection of cupric sulfate was highest, and no ovulation occurred with the injection alone 12 hours later. These findings suggest the induction of ovulation through the action of copper on the ovulatory hormone releasing factor probably present around the median eminence of the hypothalamus.
