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In a finding that may change scientific understanding of the evolution of female sex hormone 'progesterone', scientists have claimed to have found the hormone in a plant.
Until now, scientists thought that only animals could make progesterone -- a steroid hormone secreted by the ovaries -- which prepares the uterus for pregnancy and maintains it. A synthetic version, progestin, is used in birth control pills and other medications.
"The significance of the unequivocal identification of progesterone cannot be overstated," said the study by a team led by Guido F Pauli at the College of Pharmacy, Chicago.
"While the biological role of progesterone has been extensively studied in mammals, the reason for its presence in plants is less apparent," it said.
Originally posted by sparrowstail
The article said something about why a human hormone would be in a plant. Wouldn't it stand to reason that female humans have a plant chemical in them. Wouldn't the presence of this chemical first be in plants then later in humans? Being that plant life is older than human life??
I don't know but I'm curious
Is it a chicken egg thing?