title: Effects of 6-MBOA on reproductive function in ponies, mice, rats and mink.
abstract: The effect on reproduction of the plant derivative 6-methoxybenzoxazolinone (6-MBOA), which stimulates reproductive function in voles, was tested in pony mares, laboratory mice and rats, and mink. There was not a significant effect of intravenous injections of 6-MBOA on the ovarian follicles during the transition between the anovulatory and ovulatory seasons in mares. No significant effect of intraperitoneal injections of 6-MBOA on the weight of uterus or ovaries was found in eight-week-old mice, failing to confirm the results of an earlier report. In immature white rats, 6-MBOA treatment resulted in an increase in uterine weight (P<0.05) at the lowest dose tested (0.03 mug/rat; mean for controls, 34 +/-2 mg; treated, 47 +/-5 mg). However, no significant effect was found on the weights of the ovaries and other glands or in coded scores for ovarian stimulation and uterine fluid distention. Adding 1.5 mg 6-MBOA to the daily feed ration of mink beginning two weeks before the mating season did not affect the mean number of kits born. Nulliparous female mink had smaller (P<0.001) litter size than multiparous females. In addition, of the mink that whelped, there were more (P<0.01) nulliparous females (25 118 ) than multiparous females (9 144 ) that lost one or more kits within 48 hours. These results, however, were not altered by 6-MBOA treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science University of Wisconsin Madison, WI 53706 USA.
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Ginther
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Bergfelt
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Scraba
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Pivonka
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nuti