In elephants, temporin is the visible liquid secreted by temporal glands. It contains proteins, lipids (notably cholesterol), phenols, cresols and sesquiterpenes (notably farnesol and its derivatives).[1] During musth androgens such as testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and androstenedione are increased in blood and urine.[1] Temporin has a communicative function among elephant individuals in a group.[1]
In male elephants, temporin is secreted more during the period of musth, a period of heightened sexual arousal and dominance behavior. Of note, not all temporal gland excretions in African elephant bulls do necessarily represent the musth phase.[1] Female elephants also secrete temporin: African females secrete it quite freely, whereas Asian females secrete it in advanced stage of pregnancy or soon after calving.[1]
In old Sanskrit texts, temporin has been referred to as rut fluid (Sanskrit: dāna, or Sanskrit: mada) and is considered to be a symbol of potency and vigour.[2]
However, from the point of view of ancient Indian elephant science (Sanskrit: gajaśāstra), temporin is not a direct symptom of rut.[3]