EFFECT OF DEPOT MEDROXYPROGESTERONE (DMPA) ON BODY WEIGHT AND SERUM LIPID PROFILE IN ADULT FEMALE RATS

Depo Provera ®; (Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, DMPA) is a long-acting, injectable progesterone derivative contraceptive that is currently used by 30 million women in 90 countries, including Egypt, United States and Canada. DMPA classified as sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). The objective of this study was to investigate body weight and serum lipid profile following treatment of rats with the injectable contraceptive depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, (Depo Provera ®; DMPA). Adult female rats (Rattus norvigcus) were treated with a single dose of DMPA that is comparable to the weight-corrected dose in humans (2.7 mg/rat or 5.4 mg/rat) and sacrificed on day ten or fifteen post treatment. Body weights were recorded and sera from both treated and control groups studied for lipid profile using a colorometric method. Treating animals with 2.7 mg/rat or 5.4 mg/rat of DMPA for 10 and 15 days led to a dose-related increase in the body weights (maximum ~ 24.77%). There was increase in total lipids (TL), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC) as well as low density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL-C). On the other hand, a marked decrease was found in high density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the DMPA-treated groups. Statistical analysis indicated that these changes were significant (p 0.01) in all treated groups compared to control ones. We concluded that, this preliminary study indicates a long-term atherogenic role for DMPA.