Suppression of ovulation in the rat by an orally active antagonist of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

A synthetic antagonist of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone blocked ovulation in rats in a dose-dependent manner when given by gavage on the afternoon of proestrus. Ovulation was delayed for at least 1 day in all animals given 2 milligrams of antogonist and in some of the animals treated with 1 or 0.5 milligram. Oral administration of 2 milligrams also blocked the preovulatory surge of luteinizing hormone. This demonstration that antagonists of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone can have oral antiovulatory activity clearly enhances their therapeutic potential.