Abstract
SUMMARY The metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of progesterone was measured by continuous infusion of the tritium-labelled steroid in guinea-pigs under light sodium pentobarbitone anaesthesia. In normal animals during the oestrous cycle, the MCR was 112·8 ± 7·0 (s.e.) 1 plasma/day/kg. In pregnant animals there was a sharp decrease in MCR between days 15 and 20, to 8·3 ± 0·8 1/day/kg. This low clearance rate was observed throughout the remainder of gestation. After parturition MCR returned slowly to non-pregnant levels, reaching 85 1/day/kg by day 12 post partum. The decrease in metabolic clearance rate occurred at the same time as the increase in plasma concentration of progesterone. This may be related to an increase in binding proteins with a high affinity for progesterone. The stimulus for the decrease in MCR in pregnancy is obscure but appears to depend on the presence of a viable conceptus. In the non-pregnant guinea-pig the MCR is not reduced by exogenous oestrogen, hysterectomy or hypophysectomy.
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