title: Naltrexone enhances ovulation and prostaglandin synthesis in the rat ovary.
abstract: We explored the action of beta-endorphin (beta E) and naltrexone (Nal) on the number of oocytes and on prostaglandins (PGE and PGF2 alpha) production by the ovaries from PMSG/hCG-primed immature and cycling rats. Superovulated rats were injected with beta-endorphin (0.5 microgram) intraperitoneally 4 hours after hCG. The number of ova ovulated was inhibited and this effect was blocked with naltrexone injected into the ovarian bursa (0.1 microgram) 30 minutes before beta-endorphin. Furthermore, beta-endorphin (10(-8) M) decreased prostaglandins production by ovaries isolated 4 hours after hCG. Intraperitoneal injection of beta-endorphin (0.5 microgram) at 17:00 hr on proestrus decreased (-23%) the number of ova within oviducts on the day after (estrus). Naltrexone injected intraperitoneally (5 micrograms) at 16:30 hr on proestrus increased the number of ova (+23%). On the other hand, beta-endorphin increased the number of oocytes obtained by puncture of antral follicles (+37%) and naltrexone decreased the number of oocytes (-33%). Prostaglandins content in the ovary of adult rats at 23:00 hr, approximately 4 hr before the onset of ovulation, was diminished when the rats received beta-endorphin at proestrus. Moreover, when the rats were injected with naltrexone, ovarian production of prostaglandins was increased. Our results further support the hypothesis that beta-endorphin affects ovulation at the level of the ovary in the rat and that endogenous opioids may be modulating this physiological process.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faletti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jawerbaum
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viggiano
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gimeno
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D011453:Prostaglandins; D009271:Naltrexone; D001615:beta-Endorphin