Ovagen dosage protocol

What Ovagen is

Ovagen is a commercial preparation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (PMID 8265802). It has been described as a purified FSH from Immuno-Chemical Products Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand (PMID 12464075, PMID 16031503). Its ratio of FSH to luteinizing hormone (LH) concentration was found to be 1090 when determined by radioreceptor assay, which was considerably higher than other commercial gonadotrophin preparations tested in the same study (PMID 2128901).

Biopotency studies in vitro indicated that Ovagen was 25-50% the potency of the NIDDK standard (NIDDK-oFSH-17), a reference ovine FSH preparation. Its metabolic clearance rate, measured as half-life in the bloodstream of mature female mice, was 13.4 minutes (PMID 8265802).

How it is thought to work

As a follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) preparation, Ovagen is primarily used to stimulate ovarian follicular growth and induce superovulation in animals (PMID 12464075, PMID 16031503, PMID 11131324). This involves promoting the appearance and growth of new follicles (fluid-filled sacs containing eggs) in the ovaries (PMID 11131324, PMID 12464075).

Research in ewes suggests that administering Ovagen can increase the number of follicles larger than 4 mm in size, due to increased growth and a decrease in the rate at which follicles regress (PMID 12464075). Ovagen also influenced ovarian steroid concentrations, specifically increasing the ratio of oestradiol-17 beta to androgens at lower doses in immature rats (PMID 2128901). Additionally, Ovagen has shown biological activity in promoting cervical relaxation when applied topically inside the cervix in ewes (PMID 17126896).

What laboratory and animal studies report

In goats, Ovagen treatment resulted in a mean of 16.2 corpora lutea (sites where eggs were released) and 12.6 embryos recovered. A significant linear relationship was observed between the number of corpora lutea and embryos (animal study) (PMID 16031503). Another goat study showed that an Ovagen control group, receiving eight injections, yielded a similar number of normal embryos compared to some groups treated with single injections of other FSH preparations combined with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) (animal study) (PMID 8234893).

In immature rats, Ovagen administered by continuous infusion promoted a dose-dependent increase in oocyte production, with a peak mean of 47 oocytes, comparable to Folltropin (animal study) (PMID 2128901).

Dairy cattle in a tropical environment treated with Ovagen showed a comparable number of palpable corpora lutea (7.9) to those treated with SUPER-OV (animal study). A higher proportion of Ayrshire cattle and those treated with Ovagen yielded more total and viable/transferable embryos compared to Jerseys and SUPER-OV-treated cattle (animal study) (PMID 16728100).

In Spanish Merino ewes, Ovagen treatment led to 7.0 corpora lutea. While another FSH preparation (FSH-P) increased the appearance of new follicles and the number of medium follicles, Ovagen-treated ewes had fewer follicles that regressed in size and a lower percentage of preovulatory follicles that did not ovulate, resulting in no significant difference in final ovulation rate (animal study) (PMID 11131324).

Intracervical application of Ovagen in ewes facilitated cervical penetration, allowing 100% transcervical intrauterine penetration at 54 and 60 hours after progestagen sponge removal (animal study) (PMID 17126896).

Human evidence so far

The provided abstracts do not contain any studies or findings related to Ovagen in humans.

Key terms explained

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH): A hormone that stimulates the growth of ovarian follicles (sacs containing eggs) in females.

Superovulation: The process of stimulating ovaries to produce a greater than normal number of mature eggs.

Corpora lutea (CL): Structures that form in the ovary after an egg is released from a follicle; they produce hormones important for pregnancy.

Oocytes: Immature egg cells.

Radioreceptor assay: A laboratory technique used to measure the concentration of a substance by its ability to bind to specific receptors.

Metabolic clearance rate: The rate at which a substance is removed from the bloodstream.

Oestradiol-17 beta: A primary female sex hormone, a type of estrogen.

Androgens: A group of hormones, like testosterone, that play a role in male characteristics but are also present in females.

Transrectal ultrasonography: An imaging technique using sound waves to visualize organs, performed by inserting a probe into the rectum.