From:
Mike Janke
Date: 2001-09-18 13:18:00 UTC
Subject: Re: melatonin
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Cheryl & Steve" <email@t...> wrote:
>... Lupron is a synthetic form of Melatonin...
I'm not a pharmacist, doctor, biologist or have any medical training
in any way, so if I don't have this quite right, I hope someone will
straighten this out.
The hypothalamus releases GnRH in short pulses which stimulates the
pituitary to release LH and FSH. These are what, in turn, stimulate
the adrenals to release high levels of sex hormones which in turn
causes the adrenal symptoms we see.
As I understand it, Lupron is not a sythetic form of Melatonin, but
is a synthetic form of GnRH (Gonadotropin release hormone) while
Melatonin inhibits GnRH production. Since it sounds like they do the
opposite thing, one wonders how they each accomplish the same goal.
The way I understand it, Lupron performs its magic by supplying
relatively high, constant doses of GnRH to the pituitary. The
pituitary becomes desensitized to this constant high level of GnRH
and ceases production of two other hormones LH and FSH. These are
hormones that stimulate the adrenals into releasing sex hormones.
Melatonin, on the other hand, inhibits GnRH, which has the same
effect on the pituitary, though by a different means. No GnRH being
delivered to the pituitary means the pituitary stops producing LH and
FSH.
mike