From:
AFERRETVET@cs.com
Date: 2003-10-20 22:35:11 UTC
Subject: Re Melatonin/Lupron/prostate
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1e0.11e41346.2cc5bd1f@cs.com>
Hi Joanne,
I'll try to answer your questions on Melatonin.
I am glad you and your veterinarian are interested
in melatonin and Lupron. Both are good options for
treatment of adrenal gland disease (when surgery is
not possible), and I think both will be useful to actually
prevent adrenal gland disease.
There was a lot of melatonin research done with intact
ferrets back in the 70s and 80s. Melatonin is the natural hormone
that is secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin directly and
indirectly activates the breeding season (spring/summer)
during the "long day" photoperiods, and it terminates
the breeding season (fall/winter) during the "short
day" photoperiods. In the fall/winter there is more
melatonin released during the dark time, and less
released in the spring/summer. In addition to the
breeding season, the increased melatonin causes the winter
fur to come in and for the winter weight gain. Likewise
the low levels cause the summer fur to come in and the
summer weight loss. Your vet can review most of this
in Dr Fox's book (2nd edition, Ch22-23) and in Kirk's
CVT XIII..
Melatonin inhibits GnRH release, which decreses LH
and FSH and stops the stimulation to the adrenal glands,
(Adrenal glands have LH receptors) which decreases the
amount of adrenal sex hormones being produced.
The U of Wisconsin did the first study using melatonin
to treat adrenal gland disease (Melatonin use in Ferret
Adrenal Gland Disease, Proceedings of North American Vet
Conference,2001 p 897.) They were giving 0.5mg once
a day of a liquid melatonin product.
Texas A&M and I had both been using oral melatonin with
pretty good results, but it was hard for the owners to give
it every day, especially 8-9 hours after sunrise (1mg).
That is why we decide to try the male mink melatonin
implants. They are simply injected under the skin (SQ)
over the shoulder blades area. They are an FDA approved
implant for mink that slowly releases melatonin over
3-4 months. We started this study in the spring of 2002.
I hope that me and Dr Cathy Johnson-Delaney will be able
to do a second study to monitor hormone levels before
and after the implants over a full year.
There has been done a lot of human research with melatonin.
They have found melatonin receptors (mt1) on the prostate
(Inhibition of Androgen-Sensitive LNCaP Prostate Cancer
Growth in vivo by melatonin: Association of Antiproliferative Action
of the Pineal hormone with mt1 receptor protein expression.
The Prostate 46:52-61, 2001) and on human breast cancer cells
(Transcriptional repression of ROR activity in human breast cancer
cells by melatonin. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 176 p
111-120,2001). Plus melatonin has antioxidate and possible
antiviral properties. These may all be beneficial to the ferret
with adrenal gland disease, especially ones with prostatic
enlargement or mammary gland hyperplasia. If your vet
would like more info, or info on how to order the implants
please have her e-mail me.
Hope that answers your questions,
Jerry Murray, DVM
Dallas, Texas
PS as far as I know ther are no Lupron receptors on the
prostate. Lupron works at the hypothalamic and pituitary
level by stopping GnRH, LH and FSH from being produced. This
stops the stimulation to the adrenals, and they stop over producing
the adrenal sex hormones. Less hormones lowers the stimulation
to the prostate, but I also use Propecia to stop DHT from
being made. DHT is the hormone that causes the prostate to
enlarge. [Csodex or Flutamide can also be used to block the
adrogen (DHT) receptotrs on the prostate.] Melatonin may
also be helpful in shrinking the prostate.
End of ferrethealth Digest
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