RESUMEN
Previous data in the human generally indicate that therapeutic doses of prostaglandins (PGs) are not luteolytic. In an attempt to evaluate whether a high dose infusion (approx. 5 microgram/min for 6 hours) of a potent PG (15-methyl PGF2 alph) analogue is luteolytic, 15-methyl PGF2 alpha was administrated in the mid-luteal phase of 10 normally menstruating volunteers. The infusion induced a significant and sustained luteolytic response in 8 subjects as evidenced by a drop in progesterone levels and premature menstrual-like bleeding. In the other two cases luteal recovery was apparent from the regained normal plasma levels of progesterone and a normal cycle length. Thus, it can be concluded that luteolysis can be induced in humans by this PG provided that high dose infusions are utilized which also cause a lot of undesirable side-effects.