We studied the action of catecholestrogens on prostaglandin and LH release by female rat pituitaries superfused in vitro. Their actions were compared to those of estradiol (E2) at the same concentration (10(-6) M). By comparison with E2 the action of 2-OHE2 was only the same on total PGE2 release. 4-OHE2-17 beta stimulated LH like E2 but the values for PGD2 and PGE2 were about 20-30% lower. However, the release of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha was about 35% higher. 4-OHE2-17 alpha had no comparable action on PG release but stimulated a significant LH release. There was no action on TxB2 in any case.

[4-14C] Mestranol was administered to 2 rifampicin treated and to 3 untreated hysterectomised women with normal liver functions. The urinary excretions of mestranol, ethynylestradiol, 2-hydroxy-ethynylestradiol and of the total radioactivity were measured within the following 5 days. After this period the total urinary excretion of radioactivity amounted to approx. 43% (38%-50%) of the administered dose and no difference was found for the rifampicin treated and untreated women. Moreover, in the urines of both of these groups the same amounts of radioactive mestranol (1.1%-6.3% of the urinary radioactivity) and 2-hydroxy-ethynylestradiol (0.9%-3.9% of the urinary radioactivity) were measured. In contrast, the urinary excretion of ethynyl-estradiol was definitely lower in the rifampicin treated women (3.5% and 4.9% of the urinary radioactivity) as compared to the control group (15%-23%).

Retrospectively we have compared the efficacy, the immediate complications, and the side effects during termination of 727 first trimester pregnancies with and without preoperative cervical dilatation by sulprostone. All these patients had been admitted to the Frauenklinik der Medizinischen Hochschule L ubeck for legal abortion; 365 of them got a single intramuscular injection of 500 micrograms sulprostone 8-10 hours prior to vacuum aspiration (failure 4% Hegar less than 6); 81 patients got a single intramuscular-intracervical injection of 25 micrograms sulprostone 8-10 hours prior to vacuum aspiration (failure 16% Hegar less than 6); in 281 patients evacuation of the uterus was carried out in dilating the cervix mechanically. This route without preoperative dilatation by the prostaglandin analogue sulprostone gave the highest rate of complications. Only in regard to a complete evacuation of the uterus a single intramuscular-intracervical injection of sulprostone resulted in a diminution of the complications. However, a single intramuscular injection of 500 micrograms sulprostone prior to vacuum aspiration offered a practical, effective and relatively side-effect free method of cervical dilatation.

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