Plasma lipid levels and systolic blood pressure in ovariectomized and intact rats treated with contraceptive and other sex steroids.

Ovariectomized rats were treated for three weeks with cottonseed oil, estraiol, progesterone, mestranol-norethynodrel, or testosterone, and intact female rats were treated with cottonseed oil, or testosterone. Plasma total cholesterol, plasma triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure were then measured. Estradiol administration resulted in an increase in plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. Administration of testosterone to intact rats produced a decrease in cholesterol. Rats administered estradiol had significantly higher systolic blood pressure than any other group except the contraceptive treated group. By use of the ovariectomized rat model, the individual effects of sex hormones are delineated and it is demonstrated that estrogen has more effect than progestogen on both plasma lipids and systolic blood pressure.