Effect of Norethindrone on Submandibular Glands and Dental Caries in Female Rats

Summary Weanling female Sprague-Dawley strain rats were divided randomly into groups and were given daily subcutaneous injections of 30, 60, or 90 μg of norethindrone in 0.1 ml of steroid diluent for 9 or 14 weeks. Norethindrone in different dose levels caused, in general, a slight increase in wet weight and a significant increase in the diameter and relative number of granular tubules and in the sizes of acinar cells of submandibular glands. No significant changes in parotid gland weight were observed. Norethindrone in different dose levels caused an increase in the incidence of carious lesions, but no differences in severity of carious lesions were observed between norethindrone-treated groups of rats and their controls.