The metabolic fate of C14-progesterone in human subjects

SELECTED ABSTRACTS

Hawker,

Journal

of Clinical

Oxytocin

in Lactating

R. W.:

Endocrinology and

Nonlactating

and Metabolism Women,

p. 54.

Blood was collected from lactating and nonlactating women with babies 3 to 7 old and tested for oxytocin. The oxytocic activity of the mother’s blood collected immediately prior to breastfeeding the infant did not differ significantly from that during suckling or midway between 4 hourly feedings. It tlid not differ significantly from that in the blood of non lactating mothers. The conclusion is drawn that in these studies on human subjects neither oxytocin nor oxytocic substance induces the ejection of milk. J. EDWARD HALL months

Vol.

18, &Larch,

1958.

Sandberg, A. A., and Slaunwhite, Human Subjects, p. 253.

W. R., Jr.:

The Metabolic

Fate of C11-Progesterone

in

Before the availability of labeled steroids, little was known about the metabolic of progesterone in human subjects. In this study, Cr4-progesterone was injected intravenously into 9 human subjects, 4 of whom had bile fistulas. Slightly over 50 per cent of the radioactivity was excreted in the urine. About 40 per cent of the radioactivity was in the form of glucouronidates. Nearly 30 per cent of the radioactivity was excreted in the bile, mostly as conjugates. There was some reabsorbability of the biliary metabolites from the feces and these were not excreted in the urine. The recovery of total radioactivity in the urines and stools of the non-fistula subjects averaged 67 per cent, in contrast to 82 per cent recovered in the urine, bile, and feces of the subjects with bile fistulas. J. EDWARD HALL fate

Fajans, S. 5.: p. 271.

Hyperthyroidism

in a Patient

With Postpartum

Necrosis of the Pituitary,

ii case ia presented of postpartum necrosis of the pituitary with evidence of panhypopituitarism for 15 years following uterine hemorrhage. Three years after initiation of therapy with cortisone and desiccated thyroid and 18 years post partum, thyrotoxicosis developed. Active hyperthyroidism persisted, but there was continued evidence of pituitary insufficiency with respect to secretion of gonadotrophic, thyrotrophic, and adrenocorticotrophic hormones. The evidence suggests that excessive secretion of pituitary thyrotrophic hormone was not the cause of the hyperthyroidism of Graves’ disease in this patient. J. EDWARD HALI.

J’ol. 18, April, 1958. Zander, J., Forbes, T. R., Von Munstermann, A. M., and Neher, R.: curring Metabolites of Progesterone, Isolation, Identiiications, and Concentration in Human Tissue, p. 337. from tional

The authors ripe follicles, activity by

have isolated corpora lutea, Hooker-Forbes

A4-3-ketopregnene-2Oa-OL placentas, and fat tissue. and Clauberg tests and 1160

and Both should

Two Naturally OcBiologic Activity

Ah-3-ketopregnene-20fl-OL compounds have progestabe regarded as gestagens.