Clinical use of an antiprolactinaemic drug: Dihydroergocristine

Dihydroergocristine. 20-40 mg/day, reduced serum prolactin to normal in h out of 40 hyperprolactinaemic women and by 50 per cent in a further 7 women. Menstruation was restored in 19 out of 29 of the women with amenorrhoea. and ovulation occurred in 21 of the 40 patients. When given to puerperal women, 20 mg/ day for 10 days. dihydroergocristine prevented lactation without untoward side effects. Dopaminergic drugs have become the standard treatment for hyperprolactinaemic disorders and also for the prevention of puerperal lactation (Thor-ner et al., 1980). Bromocriptine and other potent dopaminergic drugs, though very effective, are occasionally not tolerated by individual patients, and the need for alternative drugs has arisen. Dihydroergocristine, a well tolerated vasoactive drug which has been used for many years in the treatment of vascular disorders, has recently been shown to possess a prolac-tin lowering effect in acute studies (Ferrari el al., 1983). The present work was to investigate the possible clinical use of dihydroergocristine as an antiprolactinaemic agent