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I'll try to answer your questions on Melatonin.  I am glad you and your
veterinarian are interested in melatonin and Lupron.  Both are good
options for treatment of adrenal gland disease (when surgery is not
possible), and I think both will be useful to actually prevent adrenal
gland disease.
 
There was a lot of melatonin research done with intact ferrets back in
the 70s and 80s.  Melatonin is the natural hormone that is secreted by
the pineal gland.  Melatonin directly and indirectly activates the
breeding season (spring/summer) during the "long day" photoperiods, and
it terminates the breeding season (fall/winter) during the "short day"
photoperiods.  In the fall/winter there is more melatonin released during
the dark time, and less released in the spring/summer.  In addition to
the breeding season, the increased melatonin causes the winter fur to
come in and for the winter weight gain.  Likewise the low levels cause
the summer fur to come in and the summer weight loss.  Your vet can
review most of this in Dr Fox's book (2nd edition, Ch22-23) and in
Kirk's CVT XIII..
 
Melatonin inhibits GnRH release, which decreses LH and FSH and stops the
stimulation to the adrenal glands, (Adrenal glands have LH receptors)
which decreases the amount of adrenal sex hormones being produced.
 
The U of Wisconsin did the first study using melatonin to treat adrenal
gland disease (Melatonin use in Ferret Adrenal Gland Disease, Proceedings
of North American Vet Conference,2001 p 897.)  They were giving 0.5mg
once a day of a liquid melatonin product.
 
Texas A&M and I had both been using oral melatonin with pretty good
results, but it was hard for the owners to give it every day, especially
8-9 hours after sunrise (1mg).  That is why we decide to try the male
mink melatonin implants.  They are simply injected under the skin (SQ)
over the shoulder blades area.  They are an FDA approved implant for mink
that slowly releases melatonin over 3-4 months.  We started this study in
the spring of 2002.  I hope that me and Dr Cathy Johnson-Delaney will be
able to do a second study to monitor hormone levels before and after the
implants over a full year.
 
There has been done a lot of human research with melatonin.  They
have found melatonin receptors (mt1) on the prostate (Inhibition of
Androgen-Sensitive LNCaP Prostate Cancer Growth in vivo by melatonin:
Association of Antiproliferative Action of the Pineal hormone with mt1
receptor protein expression.  The Prostate 46:52-61, 2001) and on human
breast cancer cells (Transcriptional repression of ROR activity in human
breast cancer cells by melatonin.  Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology
176 p 111-120,2001).  Plus melatonin has antioxidate and possible
antiviral properties.  These may all be beneficial to the ferret with
adrenal gland disease, especially ones with prostatic enlargement or
mammary gland hyperplasia.  If your vet would like more info, or info
on how to order the implants please have her e-mail me.
 
Hope that answers your questions,
Jerry Murray, DVM
Dallas, Texas
 
PS as far as I know ther are no Lupron receptors on the prostate.  Lupron
works at the hypothalamic and pituitary level by stopping GnRH, LH and
FSH from being produced.  This stops the stimulation to the adrenals, and
they stop over producing the adrenal sex hormones.  Less hormones lowers
the stimulation to the prostate, but I also use Propecia to stop DHT from
being made.  DHT is the hormone that causes the prostate to enlarge.
[Csodex or Flutamide can also be used to block the adrogen (DHT)
receptotrs on the prostate.]  Melatonin may also be helpful in shrinking
the prostate.
[Posted in FML issue 4307]