| Chemical Properties | White or yellowish-white, amorphous powder. |
| Uses | Gonad-stimulating principle. |
| Uses | Chorionic gonadotropin human has been used:
to induce oocyte maturation in cultured follicles along with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) to induce superovulation in mice as medium component for fetal testes culture to aid steroidogenic responsiveness
|
| Brand name | A.P.L. (Ferring Pharmaceuticals); Follutein (Bristol-Myers Squibb); Pregnyl (Organon). |
| General Description | Glycoprotein
hormone consisting of a 92-amino acid α-chain which is identical to
that of LH, FSH, and TSH; and a distinct 149-amino acid β-chain.
Produced by chorionic tissue and responsible for maintaining the corpus
luteum during early pregnancy. Also produced by trophoblast cell
neoplasms, which are marked by elevated free hCG β-chains and
hyperglycosylated hCG. |
| Biochem/physiol Actions | Elevated
levels of hCG is observed in trophoblastic cancer. hCG levels are
indicators of pregnancy and β subunit is majorly present in urine
samples. hCG isoform detection is useful in the diagnosis and management
of trophoblastic related diseases including carcinomas. |
| Clinical Use | Choriogonadotropin
alfa is obtained by rDNA technology and is biologically and chemically
identical to hCG of natural origin. It is used, like hCG of natural
origin, for inducing ovulation in women with anovulatory infertility.
Following proper pretreatment with a GnRH antagonist or superagonist to
desensitize the pituitary, women participating in ART are treated with a
folliclestimulating agent (e.g., menotropins) to effect the final
maturation of the follicles within the ovaries. Ultrasonograms are used
to determine proper follicle maturation before the administration of
choriogonadotropin alfa to induce ovulation. A distinct advantage of
this product is that it can be self-administered by the patient via SC
injection. |
| Veterinary Drugs and Treatments | The
veterinary product’s labeled indication is for “parenteral use in cows
for the treatment of nymphomania (frequent or constant heat) due to
cystic ovaries.” It has been used for other purposes in several species;
refer to the Dosage section for more information. |
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