Periovulatory steroid concentrations in HCG-treated rabbits.
The level of pregnenolone increased within 1 h and remained high for 4 h after an intravenous injection of HCG in conscious rabbits. Peaks for progesterone, estrogens and dehydroepiandrosterone were recorded at 2 h, and that of 20alpha-dihydroprogesterone 6 h after HCG injection. At the time of ovulation the serum concentrations of all steroids had returned to their basal levels. It seems that HCG maintained a high production of pregnenolone and promoted the synthesis of different steroids.
D004092:20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000097:blood; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011817:Rabbits; D013256:Steroids / Q000097:blood*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004967:Estrogens; D013256:Steroids; D004092:20-alpha-Dihydroprogesterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D011284:Pregnenolone