MODULATION OF OVARIAN-FUNCTION BY VARIOUS INDOLEAMINES DURING THE SEXUALLY ACTIVE PHASE IN THE INDIAN PALM SQUIRREL, FUNAMBULUS-PENNANTI

We studied the effects of four indolamines (melatonin, 5-methoxytrypta mine, 5-methoxytryptophol, and 5-methoxytryptophan) on ovarian activit y in a tropical rodent, the Indian palm squirrel (Funambulus pennati), during the sexually active phase. Injection of the four 5-methoxyindo les at a dose of 20 mu g/0.1 mL per animal every evening for 30 days r educed ovarian mass in both intact and pinealectomized animals. Intact animals treated with 5-methoxyindoles had a lower uterine mass than t he intact controls. On the other hand, the uterine mass of pinealectom ized animals treated with 5-methoxyindoies did not differ from that of their respective controls. Plasma estradiol levels showed a similar p attern to ovarian masses. We conclude that the effect of 5-methoxyindo les in the female palm squirrel is independent of the pineal gland and that 5-methoxytraptophol and 5-methoxytryptophan are more potent than melatonin.