Abstract
Summary
A cyclic nonapeptide has been isolated in homogeneous form from an extract of the bovine pineal gland. Structural elucidation, involving amino acid analysis and mass spectrometry, has shown the compound to be 8-arginine vasotocin. Comparing synthetic 8-arginine vasotocin to the pineal hormone by mouse uterine and ventral prostate assays, shows their activities to be identical. The possibility that the pineal peptide is exhibiting an oxytocic effect is discussed.
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