Abstract
Conclusion
The menstrual discharge of normally menstruating women contains a heatstable factor, insoluble in lipoid solvents, which stimulates increased luteal activity in mature rats. This factor has also been found in venous blood and urine at the time of menstruation. Its progesterone-stimulating effect is not accountable to any free or combined estrogen or to any known gonadotropic hormone.
So far as this work has progressed, the progesterone-stimulating factor of menstrual discharge resembles the substance reported by Astwood and Greep as occurring in the rat placenta. 4 Our material has not yet been tested upon hypophysectomized rats but the fact that alcohol precipitation destroys toxicity without decreasing progesterone-stimulating activity makes it appear that the progesterone stimulation is not a non-specific toxic effect.
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