Philippine E-Journals

The Effects of Oral Contraceptive Agents on Thiamine Nutritive

Rhodora F. Carino-estacio | Manuel P. Macapinlac

 

Abstract:

The effec1 of synthetic hormones contained in oral contraceptive agents on the erythrocyte transketolase activity (ETKA) and on thiamine metabolism was stUdied. An initial cross sectional study of some Filipino oral contraceptive agent users indicate that they significantly lower erythrocyte transketolase activity, but no significant TPP (Thiamine Pyrophosphate) effect when com­ pared with a group of women of similar age and socio-economic status, some of whom were using contraceptive methods other than 1he "pill". To determine specifically the effect of the synthetic hormones on thia­mine nutriture particularly when the intake of thiamine is marginal, longitu­dinal studies using controlled dietary intakes were done in the female albino rat Neither the synthetic estrogen nor a combination of the synthetic estrogen and the synthetic progesterone have any effect on the ETKA and its stimulation with TPP. The excretion rate of administered 14C-thiazole labeled thiamine in the urine was also not affected by the synthetic hormones. Similarly, the synthe­ tic hormone did not cause any significant difference in the amount of radio­octivity in the liver and RBC as well as the level of free thiamine in the liver of the experimental animals. The result of the histological examination of the ovarian sections of rats treated with the oral contraceptive showed that the dose of the oral contra­ceptive used was not effective in inhibiting ovulation, although the dosage used depressed appetite. Since species differences on the effects of oral contraceptive drugs on metabolism are possible, caution must be ext!l'cised in extrapolating the results and conclusion of this study to humans.