Effect of ovine follicular fluid peptide on ovarian responses and other organ weights in rats, Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout 1769.

The present study was aimed to study the effect of an ovine follicular fluid peptide on ovarian follicle and good oocyte numbers and weights of ovary, uterus, liver, pancreas and kidney in rats, R. norvegicus. A 30.1 kDa peptide was isolated from ovine follicular fluid by ammonium sulphate precipitation and then gel filtration. The peptide was tested at various levels in normal (22 and 36 day-old), superovulated (29 day-old) immature and 121-day old mature rats on the ovarian responses and other organ weights. The isolated peptide inhibited the growth of antral follicles in normal and superovulated rats. Ovarian, uterine weight and recovery of good oocytes were reduced when the peptide was administered at 100 microg dose. The peptide had no effect on kidney, liver, pancreas weight and recovery of preantral follicles.