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Secondary effects of oral contraceptives

Norethynodrel, a common progestin in oral contraceptives, produces in female rats several significant physiological, cytological and biochemical changes at dose levels of 1 mg and 20 mg per kg: 1) a relative increase in liver mass 2) modification of appearance and extent of the endoplasmic reticulum 3) augmentation of the protein content of the liver 4) increase of the level of cytochrome P- 450 in the liver as determined by : a) difference spectroscopy b) increases in biotransformation of aniline and aminopyrine in vitro and c) reduction of sleeping times of rats dosed with phenobarbital The significance of these findings becomes evident when it is realized that norethynodrel affects and is affected by the same enzyme system which oxidizes medicaments in general in the body: induction of cytochrome P-450 by administration of norethynodrel may interfere with the action of other drugs . Ethinyl estradiol alone showed none of the inductive effects. At high dose levels (20 mg per kg) both norethynodrel and ethinyl estradiol caused a marked inhibition of growth of the animals, producing a net loss of body mass over the 30- day experimental period. Electron micrographic evidence implies that there is also a lowering of glycogen content and a chemical change in the lipids of adrenocortical and liver cells accompanying the use of these agents.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:rhodes/vital:3847
Date January 1978
CreatorsYuen, E Ho
PublisherRhodes University, Faculty of Science, Pharmacy
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis, Masters, MSc
Format286 leaves, pdf
RightsYuen, E Ho

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