[Domperidone: a new pharmacodynamic agent for exploration of the hypophysis (author's transl)]

Domperidone is a peripheral antagonist of dopamine which does not cross the blood-brain barrier. It is administered orally in doses of 40 mg and consistently induces a rise in prolactin (delta + 2500 % at 90 minutes; surface under the curve 306,000) on condition that the mammotropic cells are in sufficient numbers and under central dopamine control. Adenomatous mammotrophs do not respond to domperidone (p less than 0.001 difference with controls). Three months after transphenoidal adenomectomy and correction of hyperprolactinaemia, there was no significantly change in the kinetics of prolactin response to the product. Some gonadotrophic hormone-producing adenomas exhibit paradoxical response of GH to L-dopa and domperidone, which disappears after surgical excision.