Inhibition of Lactation and Prolactin Secretion in Rats by Ergot Alkaloids

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Abstract
Ergocornine hydrogenmalienate, 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg; ergonovine maleate, 4.0 mg; dihydroergocornine, 1.0 mg; ergotamine tartrate, 4.0 mg; and ergocryptine mesylate, 0.5 mg; were administered subcutaneously once a day to lactating postpartum female rats from day 4 postpartum (delivery = day 0) to day 8 postpartum. Serum prolactin levels as measured by radioimmunoassay were depressed significantly as a result of treatment with each ergot alkaloid when compared with corn oil treated control rats. These compounds significantly depressed lactation as assessed by litter weight gain. The total mammary tissue weight determined in each animal of an ergocornine hydrogenmalienate treated group showed a reduction compared to those animals in a control group receiving corn oil. Hypophysial homografts equivalent to 2 pituitary glands from donor litter mates were transplanted beneath the kidney capsules of mature hypophysectomized female rats 3 days after hypophysectomy. The rats were treated for 2 days with 0.5 mg ergocornine hydrogenmalienate beginning 10 days after transplantation. Serum prolactin levels from ergocornine treated rats were lower than levels obtained fr∧m hypophysectomized, pituitary-grafted rats receiving corn oil alone. These results indicate that the ergot alkaloids have a direct action on the pituitary thus preventing prolactin secretion, and that the inhibition of lactation occurs partly as a result of this deficiency in prolactin secretion. (Endocrinology90: 285, 1972)

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