Norethindrone acetate inhibition of triglyceride synthesis and release by rat hepatocytes

The progestin, norethindrone acetate has been widely administered to patients in the form of oral contraceptives; however, its hypolipemic action has received little study. This report describes the effects of conventional doses of norethindrone acetate (100 micrograms/day.kg body weight 0.75) on rat plasma lipid levels in vivo as well as the mechanism of action on triglyceride metabolism in isolated hepatocytes in vitro. Norethindrone acetate administration led to significant and proportional reductions of the concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipids of plasma lipoproteins of density less than 1.006 of rats fed a high carbohydrate diet. Norethindrone acetate (0.1 mM) also significantly inhibited the incorporation of both [9,10(-3)H] palmitate and [U-14C]glycerol into triglycerides of isolated hepatocytes from fed rats, by 11 to 16% (P less than 0.001). Release of labeled triglycerides from the isolated hepatocytes was similarly inhibited, 21% and 46%, respectively (P less than 0.05). At the higher concentration of 1.0 mM, norethindrone acetate inhibited the incorporation of [2(-3)H]glycerol into hepatocytic triglycerides by 35-39% (P less than 0.05). The present findings suggest that inhibition of hepatic triglyceride synthesis can account for the reduction of hepatic triglyceride secretion and for at least part of the lowering of plasma VLDL levels which occurs during administration of norethindrone acetate in the rat.