Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), megestrol acetate, melengestrol acetate, and chlormadinone acetate are synthetic derivatives of progesterone and are called acetylgestagens. One of these substances, melengestrol acetate (MLGA), is a licensed growth promoting feed additive for heifers in the USA and Canada. MLGA is one of the most active synthetic gestagens. Its oral bioactivity is 10 and 100 times higher than the activities of the gestagens chlormadinone acetate (CMA) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), respectively. Due to its strongly lipophilic properties, MLGA is accumulated in fat at levels 200-fold higher than in blood plasma. In the European Union the use of sexual hormones for growth promoting purposes has been generally banned since 1988 (Council Directive 96/22/EC), as has the import of meat from hormone treated cattle into the EU.
The CD MPA ELISA is used for the quantitative analysis of MPA in tissue (muscle), fat , beverages and feed samples and shows the following cross-reactivities: MPA (100%), megestrol acetate (50%), melengestrol acetate (25%), and chlormadinone acetate (50%). The CD Melengestrol Acetate ELISA Kit provides cost-effective extraction methods for a variety of sample types, with an 80-120% recovery rate in a total incubation time of 150 minutes.
