Animal Science presented on September 12, 1990, Title: In Vivo and In Vitro Effects of a Cyclopilppenoid Fatty Acid on Progesterone Synthesis by the Ovine Corpus Luteum

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of a cyclopropenoid fatty acid on luteal cell function. In Exp. 1, 12 mature ewes were mated to a fertile ram, assigned to two groups (n = 6/group) and laparotomized on day 18 of gestation. Ewes with corpora lutea (CL) in both ovaries were unilaterally ovariectomized while ewes with a CL in one ovary only were allowed to remain intact. An extract of Sterculia foetida seeds (1.09 mg), consisting of a mixture of fatty acid methyl esters including 750 ug of sterculic acid (SA), or 1.09 mg oleic acid methyl ester (OA) was injected into the artery supplying the ovary bearing CL. Jugular blood was collected on day 18 before surgery and daily thereafter until day 30 of gestation or until detected estrus, whichever occurred first. Sera were assayed for progesterone (P4) by radioimmunoassay. In Exp. 2, 12 mature ewes were laparotomized on day 10 of th