13 patients with the amenorrhoea-galactorrhoea syndrome who conceived during treatment with bromocriptine were reported. Mean period of amenorrhoea was 3.0 years. In ten patients galactorrhoea was noted for a mean period of 4.2 years while in three it was discovered during examination. Seven patients presented with primary infertility. Menses returned in all cases after a mean duration of 2 months of treatment with bromocriptine at an average dose of 5. 86 mg daily. Mean serum prolactin was 4344 mUll (range 750 mU/l to 23,000 mU/l) before treatment and this declined to 186 mU/l with treatment. Seven patients became pregnant 5 to 25 months of treatment while six conceived after first menses. 21 pregnancies resulted from the thirteen patients. There was one spontaneous abortion and one premature delivery in which the baby died. Of the 16 live- births, there were twelve girls and four boys and their mean birth-weight was 2932 g. All were normal at birth and during subsequent developments except one with congenital dislocation of hip. It is concluded that bromocriptine is effective in restoring menstrual cycles and fertility by lowering serum prolactin in patients with the amenorrhoea-galactorrhoea syndrome. Bromocriptine may be safe for use during pregnancy, but it is suggested that the medication should be stopped immediately after conception unless tumour growth is apparent.
The objective of this research was to study the ameliorative effects of a standardized quassinoid-rich extract (TAF 273) of Eurycoma longifolia root on some reproductive disorders in female rats. An irregular estrous cycle and ovarian cystic follicles were induced in 21-day-old females by the daily administration of testosterone (10 mg/kg, sc) for three weeks. The hormone-treated rats exhibited persistent diestrous as well as ovaries containing cystic follicles. Upon treatment with TAF 273, fewer animals showed irregular estrous cycles and there was less follicular morphological damage. The reversal effect may be derived from the anti-estrogenic properties of the plant quassinoids.