30 



FEMALE BITTERLING 



between the growth-curves of Cortine "Organon", corti- 

 costerone, and desoxycorticosterone, as well as those from 

 the aqueous cortex-extract are clearly shown. It might be 

 possible to isolate the hormone of the adrenal cortex by 

 means of the ovipositor test. 



c. The reaction to corpus luteum extracts. With corpus 

 luteum extracts growth-curves similar to those for proges- 

 terone were always obtained in the ovipositor test. When 

 calculating the progesterone content per g of tissue, the aver- 

 ages of the values found appeared to correspond well to the • 

 values found, according to the literature, in the ClaUBERG 

 and Corner tests. Most probably, therefore, the activity of 

 corpus luteum extracts in the ovipositor test is based upon 

 the presence of progesterone. The other steroids are evidently 

 present in too slight a concentration to interfere. 



Since the ovipositor test is so sensitive to progesterone, we 

 have tried to determine thereby the progesterone content of 

 individual corpora lutea removed after ovariectomy in 

 women. We had at our disposal 28 corpora lutea, whose 

 probable age was determined on the basis of the cycle of 

 the women concerned. Table II (p. 31) gives the values 

 found. (For further particulars, vide DUYVENE DE WiT, 

 1942). 



In Fig. 36, the progesterone contents found per gram of 

 tissue, and related to the respective ages of the corpora lutea 

 examined, are marked by means of crosses. The pyramidoid, 



4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 ~ 36 



Fig. 36. Showing the connexion between (a) the progesterone-like horm- 

 one from a number of human corpora lutea, expressed in progesterone, 

 and (b) the pregnanediol excretion according to VENNING and BROWNE, 

 on corresponding days in the cycle. 



