Some Effects of Ergotamine Tartrate Upon Lactation in the Rat

¹ From the Zoological Laboratory, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

A study was made of the direct effects of ergotamine tartrate upon the lactating rat, her young, and upon milk secretion from her mammary glands. The drug was administered to lactating rats at dosage of 3 mg/kg/day on each of days 9–12 postpartum. It was found not to affect volume of milk in the mammary gland as measured by lactose content of mammary tissue on day 12 nor was it found to have altered the histological appearance of the gland. There is, however, significant loss in weight of the mothers during period of treatment correlated with significant reduction in food consumption. Recovery in weight occurs by the end of lactation. There is also significant weight loss of litters of treated rats during the same period although they suck more frequently during period of treatment than do controls. The possible significance of this is discussed.