Effects of aglépristone, a progesterone receptor antagonist, administered during the early luteal phase in non-pregnant bitches

Abstract

Aglépristone, a progesterone receptor antagonist, was administered to six non-pregnant bitches in the early luteal phase in order to determine its effects on the duration of the luteal phase, the interestrous interval, and plasma concentrations of progesterone and prolactin. Aglépristone was administered subcutaneously once daily on two consecutive days in a dose of 10mg/kg body weight, beginning 12±1 days after ovulation. Blood samples were collected before, during, and after administration of aglépristone for determination of plasma progesterone and prolactin concentrations. The differences in mean plasma concentration of progesterone and of prolactin before, during, and after treatment were not significant. Also, the duration of the luteal phase in the six treated bitches (72±6 days) did not differ significantly from that in untreated control dogs (74±4 days). However, the intervals during which plasma progesterone concentration exceeded 64 and 32nmol/l were significantly shorter in the six treated bitches than in untreated control dogs. The interestrous interval was significantly shorter in beagle bitches treated with aglépristone (158±16 days) than in the same group prior to treatment (200±5 days).It is concluded that administration of aglépristone during the early luteal phase in the non-pregnant bitch affects progesterone secretion, but not sufficiently to shorten the luteal phase. The shortening of the interestrous interval suggests that aglépristone administered in the early luteal phase influences the hypothalamic–pituitary–ovarian axis.