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Serum concentrations of 10 hormones in 162 hirsute women were examined. Mean testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S) concentrations in these patients were 0.7 ng/ml, 10.0 ng/ml and 3.3 micrograms/ml, respectively; testosterone was elevated in 60.4% of the patients, DHEA was in 52.2% and DHEA-S was in 53.2%. Significant correlations were revealed among all these androgens. In the women who had normal testosterone levels DHEA was elevated in 50.0% and DHEA-S was in 22.2%. Cortisol levels did not show any significant correlation with the androgens examined in this study. Progesterone had a negative correlation with testosterone. Elevations of basal luteinizing hormone (LH) (greater than 20 mIU/ml) were seen in 21.7% of the patients. Stimulation tests using 25 micrograms luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) revealed enormous increase of LH (greater than 100 mIU/ml) in 18.7% of the women. Serum prolactin (PRL) was elevated in 38.3% of the patients; a bolus injection of metoclopramide (MCP) induced hypersecretion of PRL (greater than 160 ng/ml) in 48.0% of the women. These results indicate that the estimations of basal and LHRH- or MCP-induced hormone concentrations in hirsute women give useful clinical information for the understanding of their pathogenesis. More attention should be paid to basal hormone levels before suppression or stimulation tests of adrenal glands and ovary are performed.

Objectives: To compare a composite ultrasonometry variable, the stiffness index (SI), with its two component variables of speed of sound (SOS) and broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), in identifying post-menopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD) and/or osteoporotic fracture. Methods: A cross sectional sample of 1217 women (mean (S.D.) age 53.9 (9.7) years) was studied. Risk factors for osteoporosis were assessed by detailed questionnaire and women with diseases, or those taking treatments known to affect bone metabolism were excluded. Women were allocated to one of four groups: pre-menopausal women (n=476), healthy post-menopausal women (n=583), post-menopausal women with low BMD (n=101), and post-menopausal women with osteoporotic fracture (n=57). An Achilles ultrasonometer was used to perform quantitative ultrasonometry (QUS) at the os calcis. The SI, calculated mathematically from SOS and BUA, was computed. Results: Analysis of receiver operating curves (ROC) between healthy post-menopausal women and post-menopausal women with low BMD but no fracture, showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for SI was significantly greater than that for BUA (P

Purpose: This cross-sectional study collected data on the effectiveness, validity and reliability of QUS. Method and Material: Speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and stiffness index (SI) of the calcaneus were measured in n = 764 postmenopausal patients, mean age 61 years, using the Achilles ultrasound bone densitometer (Lunar Corp., Madison, WI). In addition we measured blood levels of E2 and FSH in 157 patients and correlated these variables with data gathered by a detailed questionnaire. Women using any medication known to effect bone metabolism were excluded from the study. Results: The Achilles shortterm precision in vivo expressed as coefficient of variance was 1.2 % for BUA and 0.17% for SOS and 1.3% for stiffness respectively. A total of 102 women were measured at the right and left calcaneus with a coefficient of correlation of r= 0.92 for SOS, r = 0.84 for BUA and r = 0.93 for SI. Cross-sectional analysis showed a significant yearly postmenopausal decrease of 0.06% for SOS, 0.44% for BUA and 0.74% for SI. Women with a history of osteoporosis (165 patients) as well as 141 women with an osteoporosis-related fracture showed significantly lower results in all ultrasound parameters (SOS, BUA, SI). In conclusion, quantitative ultrasound osteodensitometry of the calcaneus measures properties of bone which continue to decline with age. The low precision error and the high correlation of right vs. left underlines the high technical standard. Conclusion: Our results indicate that QUS is capable of identifying in a precise manner women with previous osteoporotic fractures as well as women with a history of osteoporosis. Hence, QUS may provide a radiation-free, low-cost, easy to handle, fast and mobile method which for the first time could make a screening programme a feasible proposition.

The paper summarizes results from a prospective study regarding psychological characteristics of females undergoing infertility treatment. For 91 patients out of an initial sample of 191 women, it was possible to determine whether the patients had achieved pregnancy (n = 52) or not (n = 39) after an average of 28 months. The remaining patients either had stopped treatment or were lost to study. Sixty of these 91 patients (37 of them pregnant) were reinvestigated psychologically with respect to anxiety, coping styles, physical complaints and sexual behavior. Group comparisons using single variables did not reveal differences between the women who had become pregnant and those who had not. In contrast, comparisons of groups identified via multivariate cluster analysis yielded a significant association between treatment outcome and psychological characteristics of patients obtained during their initial contact with the infertility clinic. This association indicates a diminished likelihood for patients with p...

To define the relation between mood, anxiety, puerperal-depression and autoimmune-thyroid-disfunction.We screened 292 mothers 2 to 3 days after delivery for anxiety, depression and mood disturbances as well as thyroid-function and microsomal antithyroid-antibody status. Ten autoantibody positive woman were compared with an equal number of age-matched controls. The state-trait-anxiety inventory which consists of 20 questions concerning state-anxiety (anxiety in a given situation) and 20 questions concerning trait-anxiety (anxiety as a quality of personality) was used to describe anxiety. The Beck-depression-inventory was applied to measure depressive illness. To assess the mood we used the "Giessener Beschwerdebogen".We found subclinical hypothyroidism in 40% of the antibody positive women and their matched pairs. Another 10% of these 20 women showed clinical hypothyroidism. There was no significant association of thyroid-function or disfunction with neither anxiety nor depressive illness or mood disturbance. The incidence of state-anxiety was significantly higher in the antibody positive group than in the antibody negative group (Chi2 = 3,3; P0.04). Trait-anxiety showed a tendency to be higher in the antibody positive group, but the difference was not significant (Chi2 = 2; P0,08). The frequency of depressive illness or mood disturbance at the time of assessment was not significantly different in thyroid-antibody positive group compared with antibody negative group.Autoantibody induced thyroiditis may contribute to anxiety in the postpartum period.

This chapter aims at elucidating some special aspects of thyroidal disturbances and diseases. Hormonal and metabolic alterations during pregnancy exert complex influences on thyroidal function. The primary cause is an estrogen-induced surplus synthesis of thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) in the liver, producing significantly higher serum levels of total T3 and T4. As a consequence, it is far more difficult to diagnose disturbances of thyroidal function during pregnancy and childbed when TBG decline occurs. Treatment is extremely difficult due to permeability of the placenta by certain medications or substances (e.g., thyreostatics, iodine) as opposed to others (thyroxine).

In practically all appearances hyperprolactinemia is identical to disturbed follicle maturation and disturbed menstrual cycle, it is therefore classified as a type of hyperprolactinemic anovulatory syndrome. The previous classifications depending on the presence or absence of a pituitary adenoma are no longer necessary, since diagnostic and therapeutic proceedings are the same in both cases.

Die Erfullung des Kinderwunsches wird heute zunehmend in spatere Lebensphasen verlegt als fruher. Daher werden Storungen der normalen Infertilitat oft erst spat erkannt, dann eventuell noch eine Zeitlang konventionell behandelt, um dann Spezialbehandlungen wie der IVF zugefuhrt zu werden. Daher macht der Anteil der Patientinnen jenseits des 35. Lebensjahres in der Regel etwa ein Drittel in dieser Altersgruppe aus. Bekanntlich ist die spontane Fruchtbarkeit in dieser Altersgruppe bereits deutlich verringert. Die vorliegende Studie sollte klaren, ob diese Tendenz sich auch in der Erfolgsrate nach IVF-Therapie abzeichnet.

Als haufigste Sterilitatsursache bei der Frau mussen heute ovarielle Funktionsstorungen angesehen werden, die sich auch auf die Endometriumsstruktur auswirken und die zyklusgerechte Entwicklung von Stroma- und Drusenzellen beeinflussen. In der vorliegenden Studie werden Unterschiede im Endometriumsaufbau bei fertilen Frauen und Sterilitatspatientinnen morphometrisch erfast.

The IM-9-P cell line is a variant of the human B-lymphoblastoid cell line IM-9 which ectopically secretes prolactin (hPRL). The heterogeneous line IM-9-P and three sublines of clonal origin, two of them positive and one negative for PRL gene expression, were subjected to cytogenetic analysis and compared with the reference line IM-9 which showed a normal female diploid karyotype. G-banding revealed several rearrangements in the chromosomes. Nine altered chromosomes including one stable marker chromosome were common to all analysed karyotypes of IM-9-P cells and their clones. A second marker chromosome 'mar2' occurred only in the karyotypes of the hPRL producing clones, but not in the non-producing clone. None of the visible alterations involve chromosome 6 which carries the PRL gene in humans.

Das Y-Chromosom ist fur die Entstehung von Keimzelltumoren in dysgenetischen Gonaden von entscheidender Bedeutung. Dies druckt sich im hohen Tumorrisiko der XY- und XY/XO-Gonadendysgenesie aus. Hingegen bei fehlendem Y-Chromosom sind Keimzelltumoren extrem selten. Wir haben bei einer Patientin mit 45, XO/46, Xi (Xq)-Karyotyp ein Gonadoblastom mit uberwucherndem Dysgerminom beobachtet. Die Patientin ovulierte bis zum 22. Lebensjahr, dann war die zyklische Ovarialfunktion erschopft. Gonadotropin- sowie Prolaktinrezeptoren konnten im Tumorgewebe nicht nachgewiesen werden. Diese Befunde weisen auf eine autonome Hormonbildung und eine vollstandige maligne Transformation des von uns untersuchten Tumorgewebes hin. Der Kliniker sollte auch bei der dysgenetischen Gonade ohne Y-Chromosom grundsatzlich an die Moglichkeit eines Keimzelltumors denken, die prophylaktische Gonadektomie, wie bei der XY-Dysgenesie, ist jedoch nicht gerechtfertigt.

To identify the hormones which affect lactogenic receptors in the liver of chronically hypophysecto-mized female rats, hormones were injected s.c. for 7 days. Specific binding (%, SB) of labelled ovine prolactin (PRL) in liver membrane preparations (100,000 x g pellet) of controls was 1%. Estradiol (E2), cortisone (Con), ACTH or bovine growth hormone (bGH) treatment did not induce hepatic binding sites for PRL. Human GH and a single dose of 2mg PRL (but not lower doses) increased SB of PRL. Treatment with oPRL plus ACTH was less effective than hGH plus ACTH (13 vs 28%); combinations of oPRL plus Con as well as administration of oPRL plus ACTH to hypophy-sectomized and adrenalectomized female rats did not induce SB for PRL. Therapy with oPRL plus hGH (26%) was more potent than oPRL plus bGH (2%). These studies suggest that PRL, GH, and ACTH induce and in concert with sex steroids, modulate the lactogenic receptors in the female rat liver. The effect of ACTH is not due to increased adrenal corticoid secretion.

LRH test were carried out by giving 339 amenorrheic women and 74 normally menstruating volunteers an intravenous injection of 25 mug LRH (Hoe 471). Plasma LH and FSH were measured by RIA in two laboratories (Tuebingen and Ulm) using two standard reference preparations: LER 907 and 2nd IRP-HMG. The average conversion factors between the two standard preparations were calculated at 5.0 for LH and 25.0 for FSH. Furthermore, the estradiol-17beta levels were measured in 139 out of the 339 patients immediately before and 60 minutes after LRH injection. Taking the episodic and cyclic plasma gonadotropin fluctuations into consideration a shorthand system classifying the gonadotropin baseline (BI-BIV) and LH responses to 25 mug LRH (R0-R2) has been established and is referred to as Human Pituitary Gonadotropin Index (HPGI). It is possible to achieve reproducible gonadotropin results in two different laboratories using two different standard reference preparations. Two separate, randomly selected groups of amenorrheic women were found to have the same percent distribution of the HPGI. A correlation coefficient of r equal 0.67 between basal and LRH stimulated plasma LH levels does not sufficiently characterize the individual LH response behavior. A significant increase of plasma LH and FSH within the test period (60') reveals that the iv administration of 25 mug LRH represents an adequate dose for the LRH test in women. The HPGI which characterizes the functional state of gonadostat, may become a useful diagnostic index for evaluating women with anovulatory disease before, during, and after therapy.

Ovine prolactin (oPRL) increased serum somatomedin (SM) bioactivity in hypophysectomized female rats. ACTH, in small but not large doses, augmented this oPRL effect. These results suggest that in the female rat PRL may regulate SM production. Adrenal factors may variably modulate SM production or serum SM bioactivity.

The effects of ovine prolactin and/or human growth hormone (GH) on dwarf mice with a deficiency of prolactin and GH were studied to determine if the increase in prolactin binding sites in the liver and prolactin and luteinizing hormone (LH) in the gonads is due to prolactin alone or requires the addition of GH. Males and females showed a marked increase in body weight with all treatment schedules. However an incremental increase in testicular weight occurred only after the administration of prolactin. The percentage of specific liver binding of prolactin in females was increased by prolactin but not in males. Prolactin also increased the number of testicular homogenates and LH receptors. The findings suggest that the absence of prolactin but not of GH retards sexual development in this species. The partial compensation for this deficiency by prolactin may be mediated by the induction of hepatic and testicular receptors of prolactin and LH.

SUMMARY To monitor the effect of LHRH treatment on hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal function, women with functional amenorrhoea were investigated by standardized LHRH and repeated clomiphene tests before and after LHRH therapy. The actual pituitary gonadotrophin reserve was defined by Human Pituitary Gonadotrophin Index (HPGI). Clomiphene response served as hypothalamic function test, plasma oestradiol and progesterone concentrations were measured for assessement of the gonadal function. LHRH treatment as performed in this study did not change basal gonadotrophin levels or the pituitary responsiveness in our standardized LHRH test. Plasma oestradiol concentrations remained unaltered at the lower limit of the early follicular phase values of a normal menstrual cycle. The inability to respond to clomiphene was changed to clomiphene responsiveness during therapy in eighteen out of twenty-nine women with anovulation. The majority of the responders had HPG-Indices of R 2. Patients with hyperprolactinaemic anovulation did not convert. The possibility of an ultrashort feedback action of LHRH on its own production in the human is discussed.

Patients with Turner syndrome (n = 33) were subjected to a sequential oestrogen/gestagen replacement therapy (21 days 2 mg oestradiol valerate plus 0.5 mg norgestrel for 10 days) for 1-4 years. In individuals aged 12-17 years, growth velocities before treatment ranged between 2.9 and 1.9 cm/year and increased to 6.8-3.8 cm/year following sex steroid substitution for 1 year. Thereafter a decrease was observed; depending on age, pre-treatment velocities were observed within 2-4 years of replacement therapy. On average, bone age advanced 1 year following 1 year of sex steroid administration and adult bone age was reached following 2-4 years of treatment. Approximately 70% of the individuals noted breast development to stage IV according to Tanner and experienced regular withdrawal bleedings. Oral administration of oestradiol valerate resulted in serum oestradiol levels normally seen during the early follicular phase; hypergonadotropic LH and FSH levels decreased slightly following 1 year of therapy. Growth ranged between 4 and 13 cm; in the oldest individuals the final height ranged between 149 and 156 cm. In summary, the oestrogen/gestagen replacement therapy chosen for this study achieved development of secondary sex characteristics, endocrine changes, growth velocities, bone age advancement and to a certain extent growth, which was almost comparable to that observed during puberty in healthy girls.

Antisera generated in guinea pigs against partially purified PRL receptors derived from rabbit mammary glands were tested for their effect on PRL binding and the biological effects of PRL in vitro and in vivo. Several dilutions of either normal guinea pig serum or anti-PRL receptor serum were incubated in vitro with homogenates of rat ovaries. Although specific binding of PRL was inhibited as much as 90% by the anti-serum, normal guinea pig serum had little effect. There was no inhibition of binding of LH and FSH to ovaries by these antisera. When these antisera were administered to normal cycling rats, the most pronounced effect was an increase in the number of corpora lutea, presumably due to the prevention of the luteolytic effect of PRL. When one of these antisera was given to adult rats immediately after parturition, weight gain of their pups decreased significantly, possibly reflecting a decrease of milk yield. Thus, passive immunization of animals with anti-PRL receptor sera modifies the actions of PRL on some of its target tissues.

Six women with long-standing functional amenorrhoea were treated with 5 microgram of D-Ser (TBU)6 LH-RH-EA twice daily for 14 days. The functional states of the gonadostats, as assessed by a 25 microgram LH-RH test dose, varied widely before the treatment was started whereas at the end of it they were uniformly low. In all patients D-Ser (TBU)6 LH-RH-EA induced gonadotrophin release, the peak values occuring between day 1 and 3 of therapy. Despite further injections mean gonadotrophin levels declined rapidly therafter and remained in the basal range for the rest of the study. Release of oestradiol was very uncharacteristic. No consistent ovarian response pattern was observed during the analogue administration. It is obvious that chronic stimulation with D-Ser (TBU)6 LH-RH-EA leads to a decreased responsiveness of the pituitary gland.

The histamine H2-receptor antagonist cimetidine, which has recently been introduced for the treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers and haemorrhage, respectively, stimulates prolactin (PRL) secretion. The release of PRL after a bolus injection of the compound is significantly higher in female than in male volunteers, and is more pronounced during the luteal than during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Oral administration of the drug stimulates PRL to a similar extent as parenteral administration. Treatment of male and female volunteers with cimetidine for 20 days (1 g/day orally) resulted in elevated serum PRL concentrations in both sexes. Basal LH levels as well as the response to 25 μg LH-RH were not significantly changed after treatment. Testosterone levels in males and oestradiol levels in females were not altered. Luteal progesterone, however, was significantly diminished in the menstrual cycles when cimetidine was given. The mechanism underlying the stimulatory effect of cimetidine on PRL secretion is not clear, but it does not seem that this ability is exerted via an inhibition of pituitary dopamine receptors. The dopaminergic effect of lisuride, an ergot alkaloid, could not be reversed by cimetidine.

During a pregnancy of a 35 year old woman, we could not detect HPL in the peripheral serum, whereas other hormones showed normal values. Fetal growth ceased in the 36th week and a live neonate was delivered by caesarean section. The histological findings of the placenta and the perinatal record were not so unusual that they could account for the absence of HPL. This case illustrates that fetal growth is possible without HPL-production.

Specific binding sites for prolactin (PRL) have been detected in membrane preparations from the liver of the male rat following castration. The magnitude of the increased binding following castration varied with the age of the animals and with the time after castration. The effect of castration did not appear to be PRL mediated, since increases or decreases of serum PRL levels after pharmacological agents had no effect on PRL binding. The pituitary, however, seems to have a critical role in mediating the increase in PRL binding. Adrenalectomy did not influence the extent of binding of PRL after castration. Testosterone administration, however, completely prevented the increased PRL binding which followed castration. These studies suggest that testosterone has a modulating effect on hepatic PRL binding sites. The maintenance of such binding activity requires not only PRL, but also a functioning pituitary.

In infertile women breast secretion may be provoked in approximately 11%, although basal prolactin serum levels are only elevated (greater than 12 ng/ml) in 30% of the cases. This casts doubt on the diagnostic value of a single determination of prolactin serum concentrations in women with galactorrhea and/or infertility. Introduction of a dynamic function test of prolactin secretion into the endocrine work-up of such patients improves our diagnostic tools as can be seen by the fact that approximately two thirds of the patients with galactorrhea exhibited an exaggerated response of prolactin to metoclopramide despite normal baseline levels of prolactin.

Long-term application of synthetic gestagens to monkeys and dogs has been reported to induce benign hyperplasia and nodules in the mammary gland of these animals. The underlying mechanisms might be the increase of (GH) growth hormone serum concentrations observed after progestational steroid administration. Since (PRL) prolactin has been implicated in the etiology of human breast cancer this study was initiated to investigate the effect of synthetic gestagens on PRL and GH secretion in women. Amenorrheic women were treated with either (NG) norgestrel or (NETA) norethisterone acetate or (MPA) medroxyprogesterone acetate to induce withdrawal menstrual bleedings. Before and 7 days after gestagen therapy a standardized PRL stimulation test using (MTCL) metoclopramide was carried out. PRL as well as GH was measured by means of homologous radioimmunoassays. Gestagen application resulted in a significantly increased response of PRL after MTCL administration. Basal serum GH concentrations remained unaffected by such manipulations. The data presented indicate that gestagens might play a role in PRL secretion. If lactogenic hormones at all are involved in proliferative changes of the human mammary gland this might be rather due to alteration of PRL than GH secretion. (authors) (summary in GER)

Ein Diabetes insipidus liegt vor, wenn die Niere die taglich anfallenden 10–20 Liter Wasser nicht ausreichend ruckresorbieren kann und es damit zur Polyurie kommt. Beim ADH-mangelbedingten Diabetes insipidus spricht man wegen der zentralen Genese vom Diabetes insipidus centralis (oder auch neurohormonalis) und grenzt ihn so gegen den Diabetes insipidus renalis ab, bei dem die Nieren aus hereditaren oder erworbenen Grunden (z. B. primare Nierenerkrankungen; Mitbeteiligung der Niere an anderen Erkrankungen; Medikamente) auf adaquat ausgeschuttetes ADH nicht ausreichend ansprechen (sog. relativer ADH-Mangel). Wegen der gleichartigen Symptomatik (s. u.) mus an dieser Stelle noch die psychogene Polydipsie erwahnt werden, durch die es zur zwanghaft gesteigerten Flussigkeitsaufnahme mit massiver Polyurie kommt.

Mit der Reifung des Hypothalamus verandert sich dessen Ansprechbarkeit auf zirkulierende Sexualsteroide, wie in Abb. 4 schematisch dargestellt.

Der Hoden besteht, wie Abb. 11 verdeutlicht, aus einem bindegewebigen, kapillarreichen Interstitium, in welchem die Leydigzellen LH-abhangig Testosteron produzieren, und den Tubuli seminiferi (Hodenkanalchen), in denen zwischen den Sertolizellen die Spermien heranreifen. Es besteht ein sehr enges, aufeinander abgestimmtes Zusammenspiel zwischen Interstitium und Tubuli seminiferi sowie zwischen den Sertoli- und Samenzellen. Nur dieses enge Zusammenspiel ermoglicht eine effektive Samenzellreifung, bei der die Proliferation und Differenzierung der Spermatogonien zunachst ausschlieslich vom FSH abhangen, spatere Schritte der Samenzellreifung bis hin zum ausgereiften Spermatozoon dann aber vor allem vom Testosteron beeinflust werden. Dies geschieht, indem Testosteron aus den Leydigzellen via Interstitium in die Sertolizellen diffundiert und dort durch Bindung an das sog. androgenbindende Protein (ABP) angereichert wird. Der intrazellular angereicherte Testosteron-ABP-Komplex wiederum gelangt von der Sertolizelle in den tubularen Raum, womit das inzwischen vom ABP abgekoppelte Testosteron in relativ hoher Konzentration in unmittelbaren Kontakt zu den Samenzellen treten kann. Die Sertolizelle spielt also eine zentrale Rolle in der Entwicklungsdynamik der spermatogenetischen Zellen, wobei die ABP-Synthese unter anderem FSH-abhangig gesteuert wird.

Der zum Zwischenhirn gehorende Hypothalamus liegt am Boden des dritten Ventrikels, der von zahlreichen Blutgefasen umgebene Hypophysenhinterlappen (HHL) in der Sella turcica. Hypothalamus und HHL sind durch den Hypophysenstiel miteinander verbunden. Im Hypophysenstiel sind neben den Portalgefasen Nervenbahnen gebundelt, deren Anfange von bestimmten Kernarealen des Hypothalamus ausgehen und deren Endigungen im HHL liegen. In den Kernarealen werden Neurohormone gebildet, die dann uber die Nervenbahnen zu den Nervenendigungen gelangen, dort gespeichert und bei Bedarf an die Blutbahn abgegeben werden (Neurosekretion). Man spricht beim HHL deshalb auch von der Neurohypophyse. Sie ist entwicklungsgeschichtlich durch die beim Menschen in den HVL einbezogene Pars intermedia von diesem getrennt.

Mammary glands from lactating and non-lactating post-partum rats were assayed for prolactin (PRL) and estradiol (E2) binding sites. In lactating animals serum PRL and tissue E2 and PRL binding increased rapidly in the first 2 days post-partum and thereafter declined until day 15 to 20 post-partum. In non-lactating rats in the postpartum period, no comparable changes in the three parameters were observed. Hysterectomy of pregnant rats on day 21 was followed by an increase in serum PRL concentrations but no increase in mammary tissue binding of PRL or E2 was found. Similar results were observed after hysterectomy and oophorectomy except no increase in serum PRL was noted. The administration of estradiol to the mother immediately after birth decreased mammary tissue PRL binding sites, while the administration of hydroxyprogesterone decreased binding of E2 but left PRL binding unchanged. Post-partum suppression of PRL secretion with Bromocriptin decreased PRL but not E2 binding and, in addition, decreased wei...

To elucidate different mechanisms by which bromocriptine, lisuride, and metergoline may inhibit prolactin (PRL) secretion and lactation in puerperal women, the PRL secretion patterns were examined by means of a stimulation test using an intravenous bolus of metoclopramide. After seven and 14 days of treatment, no significant difference in basal serum PRL levels was observed. However, women subjected to metergoline treatment had significantly higher responses of PRL to metoclopramide as compared with those treated with either bromocriptine or lisuride. Thus, the PRL-lowering mechanism of metergoline appears to be different from those of bromocriptine and lisuride.