American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 27, 845-849, Copyright © 1974 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Disaccharidase activities in the rat intestine. II. Effect of progesterone

¹ From the Department of Pediatrics, Shaare Zedek Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel

The effect of progesterone on disaccharidase levels in the small intestine of rats at different ages was studied. The results indicated that progesterone has a short effect (up to 48 hr) on lactase and maltase activities on weanling and adult rats. The optimal dose was found to be 4 mg/100 g body wt when administered intraperitoneally and subcutaneously. The lethal dose was 6 mg/100 g body weight by both routes. In the suckling period, an insignificant or slight effect on lactase and maltase was observed, though larger doses of progesterone (10 mg/100 g body wt) were given and well tolerated. A synergistic effect was observed on lactase activity when progesterone was administered together with goat milk in adult rats. No effect on disaccharidase levels was observed after oral administration of progesterone, even in a dose higher than 6 mg/100 g body wt.