Inhibitory effects of various progestins and deoxycorticosterone on the rapid onset of maternal behavior induced by ovariectomy-hysterectomy during late pregnancy in rats.
The inhibitory effects of progesterone (P), 5 alpha-dihydroprogesterone (5 alpha-DHP), 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-HP), and deoxycorticosterone (DOC) upon the rapid onset of maternal behavior induced during late pregnancy in primigravid rats by ovariectomy-hysterectomy (OH) were examined. Progesterone administration at a dosage of 5.0 mg oil vehicle daily (beginning on Day 17 and ending when the subject responded maternally to foster pups) significantly delayed by about 1.5 to 2.0 days the onset of maternal behavior. In contrast, P at dosages of either 1.0 or 2.5 mg daily, 5 alpha-DHP at 5.0 mg administered daily in either an oil or Tween-80 vehicle, 17-HP at 5.0 mg in oil daily, and DOC at dosages of either 5.0 or 10.0 mg in oil daily failed to effect the rapid onset of maternal behavior induced by ovariectomy-hysterectomy on Day 17 of pregnancy. These data suggest that during pregnancy the onset of maternal behavior is inhibited in a rather specific manner by progesterone.
D000523:Algestone / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000494:pharmacology; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011372:Progestins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D011372:Progestins; D000523:Algestone; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; D011374:Progesterone