ATC Group: G03D Progestogens

Dienogest is a nortestosterone derivative with no androgenic but rather an antiandrogenic activity of approximately one third of that of cyproterone acetate. Dienogest binds to the progesterone receptor of the human uterus with only 10% of the relative affinity of progesterone.

Drospirenone is a progestogen. In a therapeutic dosage, drospirenone also possesses antiandrogenic and mild antimineralocorticoid properties. It has no estrogenic, glucocorticoid and antiglucocorticoid activity. This gives drospirenone a pharmacological profile closely resembling the natural hormone progesterone.

Dydrogesterone is an orally-active progestogen having an activity comparable to parenterally administered progesterone.

Hydroxyprogesterone is a synthetic progestin. The mechanism by which hydroxyprogesterone reduces the risk of recurrent preterm birth is not known. Hydroxyprogesterone is indicated to reduce the risk of preterm birth in women with a singleton pregnancy who have a history of singleton spontaneous preterm birth.

Lynestrenol is an oral preparation of the synthetic progestagen, which shares various activities with the natural hormone progesterone. Lynestrenol has a strong progestational influence on the endometrium. In addition it suppresses the ovulation and menstruation for as long as the preparation is taken daily without interruption.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate exerts anti-oestrogenic, anti-androgenic and antigonadotrophic effects.

Megestrol possesses pharmacological properties similar to those of natural progesterone. Megestrol acetate is a potent progestogen that exerts significant anti-oestrogenic effects. It has no androgenic or oestrogenic properties.

Norethisterone has progestational actions similar to those of progesterone, but is a more potent inhibitor of ovulation and has weak oestrogenic and androgenic properties. It is used to treat a number of disorders of the menstrual cycle.

Progesterone is a natural progestogen, the main hormone of the corpus luteum and the placenta. It acts on the endometrium by converting the proliferating phase to the secretory phase.