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  • Title: Interrelationship between oxytocin (endogenous and exogenous) and prostaglandins.
    Author: Gillespie A.
    Journal: Adv Biosci; 1973; 9():761-6. PubMed ID: 4805888.
    Abstract:
    This study concerns the possibility that prostaglandins (PGs) produce their effects endogenously by releasing oxytocin from the maternal pituitary and the phenomena of "enhancement" and "potentiation" of the response of the human pregnant uterus to exogenous oxytocin after treatment with PGs. In the 1st study, PGE2 or PGF2alpha were infused to 22 women near term and to 2 men. Venous blood samples were collected and plasma oxytocin was extracted. Urine was collected during the infusion and oxytocin was assayed. The results of the infusion were: 1) oxytocin was detected in the plasma of 19 of 22 women, 2) 60 (43%) of 139 plasma samples showed oxytocin, 3) 11 of 16 urine samples showed oxytocin, 4) oxytocin release into plasma was intermittant, 5) oxytocin was present in the plasma of 2 of 3 women with intrauterine death of the fetus, and 6) the men showed plasma oxytocin levels during infusion similar to those in women in labor. PG infusion can directly stimulate oxytocin release from the maternal posterior pituitary gland. This release is similar to that found in late spontaneous labor. In the 2nd study, 7 patients in the midtrimester were infused with PGE2 to achieve an "enhanced" uterine response to subsequently infused oxytocin. 37 women were infused doses of oxytocin with either PGE2 or PGF2alpha in order to achieve the maximum potentiation of the drug effects. Results indicate that: 1) intraamniotic pressure tracing from a woman 16 weeks pregnant showed enhancement and potentiation, 2) only 1 patient was aborted by stopping the PGE2 infusion and reinforcing 90 minutes later, 3) PGF2alpha does not enhance the response to subsequently infused oxytocin in vitro, 4) 17 of the 37 women were given PGE2 or PGF2alpha, but only 1 aborted, and 5) of 20 women who received PGs in combination with oxytocin, 14 aborted successfully in 48 hours. These studies conclude that: 1) intact pregnant human uterus responds in the same way as the myometrial strips in that it exhibits an enhanced response to oxytocin after previous exposure to PGE2, and 2) PGE2 and PGF2alpha are poor abortifacients.
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