ACS News Service Weekly PressPac: February 24, 2010  First
discovery of the female sex hormone progesterone  In a finding
that overturns conventional wisdom, scientists are reporting the
first discovery of the female sex hormone progesterone in a
plant. Until now, scientists thought that only animals could
make progesterone. A steroid hormone, secreted by the ovaries,
progesterone prepares the uterus for pregnancy and maintains
pregnancy. A synthetic version, progestin, is used in birth
control pills and other medications. The discovery is reported
in ACS’ Journal of Natural Products, a monthly publication:
“Occurrence of Progesterone and Related Animal Steroids in Two
Higher Plants.”  “The significance of the unequivocal
identification of progesterone cannot be overstated,” the
article, by Guido F. Pauli and colleagues, states. “While the
biological role of progesterone has been extensively studied in
mammals, the reason for its presence in plants is less
apparent.” They speculate that the hormone, like othe