Reserpine induced changes in the estradiol uptake by the pituitary and the uterus in ovariectomized rats.

Reserpine treatment produced a marked decrease of the in vitro binding of estradiol to the nuclear fraction of the uterus. A similar observation was made when reserpine was given into the incubation medium of uterine tissue. In contrast to these findings both in vitro and in vivo reserpine administration resulted in an increase of the estradiol binding to the nuclear fraction of the anterior pituitary in ovariectomized rats. The binding capacity of cytosol fraction after reserpine administration did not show significant alterations. In addition to these observations it is worth to mention that reserpine treatment resulted in a significant decrease of the estradiol-induced increase of uterus weight in ovariectomized rats.