Methionine and testosterone effect on occurrence of hemorrhagic diathesis in rats

¹ Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, and Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana, Illinois

Ninety orchiectomized rats were used to evaluate the effects of methionine and testosterone on the incidence of hemorrhages in animals fed a ration containing irradiated beef. Methionine significantly (P < 0.01) decreased mortality linearly. Testosterone increased mortality linearly (P < 0.01). The two substances acted independently. The protective effect of methionine was independent of growth. Omitting the aberrant mean value of prothrombin rate of 45 for 0.69%, dl-methionine and 1 mg testosterone from statistical analysis, only the linear effect of methionine is significant (P < 0.01), amounting to about 10% increase in rate and, hence, a decrease of about 10% in prothrombin time for each 1% added dl-methionine. The per cent of plasma samples with prolonged prothrombin times had an aberrant point at the same location, and (omitting the aberrant datum) methionine decreased (P < 0.01) the per cent prolonged prothrombin times, but testosterone had no significant effect. The body weight gain was significantly (P < 0.01) greater for 0.69% than for 0 or 2.06% added dl- methionine.

Key Words: orchiectomy • irradiated beef

Submitted on February 8, 1963