Comparative Effects of Dinitrophenol and Thyroid on Pituitary-Gonadal Complex of Female Rats

Conclusion

Although dinitrophenol apparently did raise the metabolic rate it had scarcely any effect on the pituitary-gonadal complex. The pathology in several ovaries and the slightly increased length of the estrous cycles appeared to be due to the toxicity of the drug. This strongly suggests that heightened metabolism per se does not lead to an increased rate of estrin elimination, and is, therefore, not sufficient explanation for the marked changes in the estrous cycles, ovaries, and pituitaries of thyroid-fed rats. While this experiment does not completely rule out the effect of increased metabolism on the pituitary-gonadal complex, it does seem to indicate that the thyroid hormone has a specific action on the pituitary and gonads as reflected by the morphological changes observed in these glands.