Comparative effect of anti-inhibin and eCG-hCG supplementation on reproductive hormonal profile in virgin cycling female rats.

To examine the effect of anti-inhibin and hCG-eCG treatments on reproductive hormonal profile in virgin cycling female rats, fifty four virgin cyclic female rats, aged 56 days and weighted 150-170 g., were randomly assigned to three equal groups (AI, eCG, and control). At late metaestrus and 54 h later, AI females were injected with anti-inhibin (1 μg/rat, ip) and normal saline (100μl/rat, ip), eCG females were injected with equine chorionic gonadotropin (20 IU/rat, ip) and human chorionic gonadotropin (10 IU/rat, ip), whereas control females were injected with normal saline (100μl/rat, ip). Eighteen females from each group were sacrificed after treatment (6 females/ group every 12 h for three times). Blood samples were obtained for hormonal assay (FSH, LH, estradiol 17B, prolactin, and ir-inhibin B). Serum FSH concentration of AI females increased significantly than other other groups throughout all periods. Also control females recorded significant elevation compared with eCG females. Serum LH concentrations registered no significant differences between AI and C groups, but they were significantly higher than eCG group only after 36 h. of treatment. Serum prolactin concentrations showed significant decline in AI group among experimental groups throughout all periods. Inhibin B levels, after 12, 24, and 36 h of treatment, decreased significantly in AI group compared with other groups. 17B-estradiol concentrations recorded insignificant differences among groups after 12 h. of treatment, while after 24 h., AI group level increased significantly than other groups. After 36 h. of treatment, AI and eCG groups recorded insignificant difference between each other, but, they were significantly higher than control. It can be concluded that anti-inhibin treatment increases the reproductive fecundity in female rats