Lynestrenol

Lynestrenol is a progestin medication which is used in birth control pills and in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. It is not used by itself in contraceptives but is instead used as the ester ethinylestradiol lynestrenol, which acts as a prodrug of ethinylestradiol and lynestrenol.

Pharmacology

Lynestrenol is a progestogen and hence is an agonist of the progesterone receptor, the biological target of progestogens like progesterone. It has weak androgenic and glucocorticoid activity and no other important hormonal activity. The drug is a prodrug of noretynodrel, which is more potent in comparison.

Chemistry

Lynestrenol, also known as 17α-ethynyl-3-desoxy-19-nortestosterone or as 17α-ethynylestra-4-en-17β-ol-3-one, is a synthetic estrane steroid and a derivative of testosterone. It is more specifically a derivative of nortestosterone and is a member of the estrane subgroup of the 19-nortestosterone family of progestins. Lynestrenol is the 3-desoxy derivative of norethisterone and the parent compound of ethinylestradiol lynestrenol.

History

Lynestrenol was introduced for medical use, specifically in birth control pills, in 1963. It is no longer available in the United States, but continues to be used in a number of other countries.

Society and culture

Lynestrenol is marketed widely throughout the world. It is available as a standalone medication or in combination with an estrogen, specifically ethinylestradiol.

See also

• List of progestogens
• List of androgens/anabolic steroids

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