Fructose levels and fructolysis index in human semen were analysed to assess a correlation, if any, between the levels of this glycolysable sugar and sperm concentration. Semen was collected from normospermic men and men with azoospermia or oligospermia. Seminal fructose levels were elevated in men with obstructive azoospermia and in men who remained azoospermic following vasoepididy mostomy done to correct epididymal blockage. Men with sperm concentration of less than 20 million/ml pre-operatively or following vasoepididy mostomy, showed significantly high levels of fructose and lower fructolysis index. Fructose levels in normospermic infertile men, as well as in men with normal sperm counts (more than 20 million/ml), were similar to that in men of proven fertility.

In 5 caged langurs menstrual cycle length (for 125 cycles) varied from 18 to 45 days with a mean +/- s.d. of 26.3 +/- 3.6 days. Menstruation lasted for 2 days. A distinct cycle of vaginal smear cells was observed with a maximum cornification on Day 10 coinciding with the serum oestradiol peak. A monophasic pattern of vaginal temperature with a significant nadir on Day 11, 1 day after the oestradiol peak, was observed. Serum sialic acid concentrations directly reflected the oestrogenic activity and showed a significant peak on Day 10, coinciding with the oestradiol peak and was followed by a progesterone rise. Langurs menstruated throughout the year without showing any sign of summer amenorrhoea. We suggest that maximum cornification, vaginal temperature nadir and serum sialic acid peak could be used as markers for prediction and detection of the time of ovulation in langur monkeys.

Intranasal administration of norethisterone at a daily dose of 9 micrograms between Days 5 and 14 of the menstrual cycles blocked ovulation in 10 out of 17 adult female monkeys. Serum concentrations of hormones indicated that ovulation was blocked due to a suppression of the mid-cycle, oestradiol-induced LH surge. Ovarian follicular activity in the treated menstrual cycles was not affected by norethisterone but there was a marked delay in the onset of the mid-cycle oestradiol surge in most of the treated animals. The duration of the menstrual cycle length after the oestradiol peak was significantly reduced in all the treated monkeys, indicative of a shortened luteal phase.

Four consecutive menstrual cycles were studied in six healthy parous women. A solvent mixture comprising propylene glycol:ethanol:water (3:3:4) was sprayed intranasally daily using a glass atomizer between days 5 and 24 of the first (control) menstrual cycle. NET was dissolved in the solvent and similarly administered at a daily dose of 100 mcg during the second and third menstrual cycles. Nasal sprays were not administered during the fourth post-treatment cycle. Blood samples were taken during four consecutive cycles between days 8 and 15 and again between days 20 and 24 of the cycle to estimate levels of estradiol (E2), FSH, LH and progesterone (P). These studies revealed that nasal sprays of NET were well accepted and that no adverse clinical effects or menstrual disturbances occurred. NET inhibited ovulation in one cycle. The E2-induced mid-cycle rise in FSH and LH was either suppressed or inhibited in nine out of the 12 treated cycles. P levels in three treated cycles were indicative of luteal inadequacy. These endocrine effects of NET persisted into the post-treatment cycle in two cases.

Adult female rhesus monkeys exhibiting normal ovulatory menstrual cycles were treated with progesterone nasal sprays. Animals in group A (n = 9) were treated with the solvent only (controls). Animals in groups B (n = 6), C (n = 17) and D (n = 7), respectively, were treated with a daily dose of 0.4, 2 and 10 micrograms of progesterone and the spraying was done between days 5-14 of the cycle. Ovulation was monitored by laparoscopy on day 20. The serum endocrine profile throughout the treated menstrual cycle was studied with respect to oestradiol and progesterone. Bioactive luteinizing hormone (bLH) was studied in blood samples taken on the day of the mid-cycle oestradiol peak, 2 days before, and 2 days after. The menstrual cycle was divided into two phases with respect to the mid-cycle oestradiol peak: phase I was taken to include day 1 of the cycle to the day of the oestradiol peak, and the remaining part of the menstrual cycle was considered to be phase II. The serum-endocrine profile in the controls was similar to that observed in normal ovulatory menstrual cycles. However, in the progesterone-treated groups three types of menstrual cycles were discernable on the basis of the serum endocrine profile. In the type I menstrual cycle, observed only in group C (n = 10), the mid-cycle bLH peak was abolished and the progesterone levels remained low throughout the cycle. Laparoscopy revealed these to be anovulatory cycles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Historical examination of the oviduct magnum of vitamin A [68-26-8]-deprived and corresponding vitamin A-repleted control chicks given injections of 17\beta-estradiol benzoate [50-50-0] for 6 consecutive days revealed that, as compared with the control birds, in the vitamin A-deficient chicks the lobes were much smaller and contained considerably less acini per unit area (80.5 \times 103 \mum2); the size of the acini and the height of the epithelium were markedly increased. Clumps of protodifferentiated cells were frequently seen in the epithelium as well as in the subepithelial regions of the deficient oviduct, whereas they were less frequent in the normal controls. Mitosis could not be detected in the vitamin A-deficient magnum, whereas it was frequently encountered in the control birds. The luminal side of the epithelium as well as the secretions of the oviduct into the lumen showed very strong PAS- and alcian blue-pos. reactions in the deficient tissue, whereas these reactions were very faint in the normal controls. It is suggested that in the absence of sufficient supply of retinol, the normal processes of division and differentiation of the primitive epithelial cells of chick oviduct under estrogen stimulation are grossly affected.

The pharmacokinetics of progesterone (dose: 10 microgram per animal) were studied in blood and cerebrospinal fluid of adult ovariectomized rhesus monkeys after the administration of the steroid as an intravenous injection, intravenous infusion (duration of infusion: 10 min), or nasal spray. The bioavailability of progesterone, in terms of area under the time--concentration curve and the maximal concentration in the two body fluids, was significantly higher when the steroid was infused or sprayed intranasally than when it was injected intravenously. The clearance of the steroid from the serum, as estimated by its elimination rate constant, elimination half-life, and total body clearance, did not differ for the three methods of administration. These findings suggest that the bioavailability of progesterone is enhanced by extending the duration over which the steroid is delivered into the hemic circulation.

Testosterone (T), cortisol (C), prolactin (PRL) and bioactive luteinizing hormone (bLH) were found to be normal constituents of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of all the 15 adult male rhesus monkeys studied. The CSF levels of the hormones showed a good correlation with their serum levels. The geometric mean values of circulating levels of T, PRL, bLH in all the animals studied were significantly lower iin the samples of the two body fluids collected between 09.00 and 11.00 h as compared with those collected between 21.00 and 23.00 h. C levels were higher during the day as compared with the night samples. This marked difference between the day and night levels of the circulating hormones was not observed in a few individuals which suggests that the diurnal changes in circulating levels of these hormones may occur as a rule in all rhesus monkeys. The serum:CSF ratios for C, PRL and bLH did not vary significantly between the day and night samples of the body fluids as they did for T. This suggests that T is poorly transferred from the blood to the CSF as compared with the other 3 hormones studied. The possible pathways by which the hormones are transferred into the CSF and the functional significance of their presence in the CSF are discussed.

Spraying estradiol-17β, progesterone or norethisterone intranasally in adult male rhesus monkeys (7.5–11 kg BW) at a daily dose of 30 μg/day for a period of 60 days resulted in a decrease of testicular size, arrest of spermatogenesis and a significant reduction in serum levels of testosterone. No changes were observed in the solvent-treated controls.

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid levels of estradiol and progesterone were measured by radioimmunoassay on various days of the menstrual cycle. A correlation coefficient of 0.98 was obtained between serum and cerebrospinal fluid levels of progesterone. No such correlation was found for estradiol (correlation coefficient 0.08).

THE importance of various brain structures in the regulation of secretion of gonadotropins1–3 and the presence of steroid hormones in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)4–5 suggest that a method for delivering steroids into the CSF might be useful in the control of fertility. Steroids can enter the cerebral components rapidly after intranasal administration and their concentrations are higher than after intravenous injection6. We report here that progesterone and norethisterone given intranasally can prevent ovulation in rhesus monkeys.