Clinical studies on the action of ergocornine in women.

Abstract

Following oral administration of ergocornine metanesulphonate to thirtyeight women in the post-ovulatory period, the urinary excretion of steroids was measured.(1) Seven out of ten women, who received 2 mg, showed a fall in pregnanediol excretion after ergocornine administration, while the remaining 3 did show slight rise in its value. Seven out of 10 subjects treated with this ergot alkaloid of 10 mg revealed a drop on pregnanediol level. Three out of 5 cases who received 20 mg of this agent disclosed the similar result. The mean value of urinary pregnanediol excretion in women given 8mg (0.97mg/day) was definitely lower than that of the control group (1.64mg/day).(2) Six out of ten women showed increased urinary excretion of 17-KS following ergocornine and 4 out of 10 a rise in 17-OHCS excretion.(3) All of seven women had an apparent increase in urinary estrogen excretion following ergocornine administration.These results do not support Shelesnyak's hypothesis, that the effect of ergocornine might be due to a blocking of the enzyme 3 β-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase which are essential for the endogenous production of progesterone.Following subcutaneous administration of pregnenolone-4 C14 to eight women in the post-ovulatory period, the urinary excretion of pregnanediol and its radioactivity was measured in urine specimens for 48 hours. Four out of these eight women were concurrently treated with 8mg of ergocornine and other four for the control.(4) The mean value of urinary pregnanediol level in the group treated with ergocornine was found to be lower, as compared with that of the control. There was no distinct difference, on the contrary, in the count per minute of C14 as pregnanediol between two groups.(5) The effects of this drug on the B. B. T. curve, uterine endometrium, the amount of cervical mucous and the vaginal smear index were also studied in women of normal mestrual cycles.