ABSTRACT
12 mg of Naloxone were given using an intravenous pulsatile pump at the rate of 0.4 mg/minute every 8 minutes over a period of 4 hours in a woman of 28 years of age who had secondary amenorrhea of hypothalamic origin. The levels of L.H., F.S.H. and Prolactin were calculated every half hour during and after the perfusion. These was a progressive rise in the amplitude of L.H. peaks but no changes in F.S.H. and Prolactin levels. Intermittent inhibition of endogenous opioids seems to re-establish the pulsatile secretions of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis.
Subject(s)
Amenorrhea/drug therapy , Gonadotropins/metabolism , Naloxone/administration & dosage , Adult , Amenorrhea/blood , Female , Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood , Humans , Hypothalamic Diseases/drug therapy , Luteinizing Hormone/blood , Naloxone/therapeutic use , Prolactin/bloodABSTRACT
Pulsatile administration of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) at a rythm of 1 microgram/min during 6 minutes every 2 hours restored ovulatory cycles and subsequently pregnancy was obtained in 2 patients who presented with oligomenorrhea and sterility.
Subject(s)
Infertility, Female/drug therapy , Menstruation Disturbances/drug therapy , Oligomenorrhea/drug therapy , Pituitary Hormone-Releasing Hormones/administration & dosage , Adult , Female , Humans , Infusions, Parenteral/instrumentation , Infusions, Parenteral/methods , Ovulation/drug effects , PregnancyABSTRACT
Naloxone is antagonistic to endogenous opioids. Giving it shows that these opioids act as controlling mechanisms in the secretion of LH and FSH by the hypothalamic, pituitary system and probably of Gn-RH by the hypothalamus. Endogenous opioids and particularly beta endorphin, which is itself under the control of oestradiol, play an inhibitory role on the secretion of Gn-RH and alter the pulsatile mode of Gn-RH secretion. We could not demonstrate PRL action which has been described by other authors.