Pineal Gland, Melatonin and the Control of Luteinizing Hormone Secretion

Suppression of Release of Interstitial Cell-Stimulating Hormone by Chronic Intraventricular Treatment with Melatonin in Adult Male Dogs

“…Kappers (1962) and Wurtman et al (1963) showed that melatonin exerts a depressing effect on the reproductive system. These were supported by many investigators who also revealed an inhibitory action of melatonin on the gonads (Adams et al 1965;Moszkowska 1965;Narang et al 1967;Motta et al 1967;Fraschini et al 1968a;Sorrentino 1968;Fraschini et al 1971) . Recently, the mechanism by which melatonin exerts its depressing effect on the gonads has been fairly well understood.…”

“…Melatonin has previously been observed to produce an inhibition of the secretion of the interstitial cell-stimulating hormone (ICSH or LH) in normal male and female rats (Wurtman et al 1963;Moszkowska 1965;Motta et al 1967;Fraschini et al 1968aFraschini et al , 1971) and the action was ascribed to a direct action on the hypothalamus (Fraschini et al 1968b(Fraschini et al , 1971Moszkowska et al 1971).…”

The Relationship of Limbic Epilepsy to Pineal Melatonin Functions

“…changes in the activity of these hormones in patients with limbic epilepsy, is likely to parallel alterations in melatonin secretion (Touitou et al, 1981). Indeed, melatonin has antigonadotrophic effects (Fraschini & Martini, 1968;Reiter et al, 1969;Jayatilak & Sheth, 1980) and hyperfunctioning of the pineal gland has been linked to the development of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (Berg & Klein, 1971).…”

Pineal Gland: Its Role in Controlling Delayed Implantation in the Spotted Skunk

“…Pineal synthesis of melatonin in mammals is likewise enhanced by darkness and inhibited by light (Wurtman, Axelrod & Kelly, 1968). The latter compound has been demonstrated to have antigonadotrophic properties in that it can lower plasma levels of lh in rats (Fraschini,Mess & Martini, 1968) and sheep and has been reported to produce testicular regression in short-tailed weasels (Rust & Meyer, 1969 (Table 1). The temperature within the animal room was allowed to undergo natural fluctuations within a range of 10 to 25°C and illumination was by daylight only.…”