The effect of oestrone on normal and castrated male rats

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Abstract
The effect of subcut. injections of pure crystalline estrin was studied in 39 normal and 73 castrated rats. In normal rats large daily doses (60 and 180 I.U.) of estrin decreased the appetite and gain in body wt. without any definite change in the fat deposition, depressed development of the sexual organs and produced hypertrophy of the adrenals and hypophysis. Small and less definite changes were found in the thymus and spleen (an increase with some doses), liver and kidney (decrease in actual wt.). The changes in these last 2 organs were explained by a decreased food intake. In castrated rats, in both 7-day and long-period exps., estrin decreased the gain in body wt. (except with 10 and 20 I.U. in 7-day exps.), but did not produce definite changes in the fat deposition, greatly increased the wt. of the seminal vesicles, slightly increased that of the prostate and, less constantly, that of the penis and preputial glands and produced hypertrophy of the hypophysis. With larger doses, or after a prolonged period of injection, the rate of involution of the thymus was increased in most rats. Less definite changes (slight increase with some doses) were observed in the kidneys and spleen. The changes in the remaining organs investigated were very small. It is concluded that the presence of estrin in the [male] organism has a definite effect on some of the organs which are also influenced by testicular hormone.