Progestogens, also sometimes written progestagens or gestagens, are a class of steroid hormones that bind to and activate the progesterone receptor (PR). Progesterone is the major and most important progestogen in the body. The progestogens are named for their function in maintaining pregnancy, although they are also present at other phases of the estrous and menstrual cycles.
Allopregnanolone, also known as brexanolone, is a medication and a naturally produced steroid that acts on the brain. As a medication it is sold under the brand name Zulresso and used to treat postpartum depression. It is used by injection into a vein over a 60-hour period under medical supervision.
In enzymology, a 3β-hydroxy-5α-steroid dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.278) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction
Dihydroprogesterone may refer to:
5α-Dihydrocorticosterone, also known as 11β,21-dihydroxy-5α-pregnane-3,20-dione, is a naturally occurring, endogenous glucocorticoid steroid hormone and neurosteroid. It is biosynthesized from corticosterone by the enzyme 5α-reductase. DHC has central depressant effects and impairs long-term potentiation in animals.
3α-Dihydroprogesterone (3α-DHP), also known as 3α-hydroxyprogesterone, as well as pregn-4-en-3α-ol-20-one, is an endogenous neurosteroid. It is biosynthesized by 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from progesterone. 3α-DHP has been found to act as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor and is described as being as active as allopregnanolone in regard to this action. In accordance, it has anxiolytic effects in animals. 3α-DHP has also been found to inhibit the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the rat pituitary gland, demonstrating possible antigonadotropic properties. Unlike the case of most other inhibitory neurosteroids, 3α-DHP production is not blocked by 5α-reductase inhibitors like finasteride.
3β-Dihydroprogesterone (3β-DHP), also known as 3β-hydroxyprogesterone, or pregn-4-en-3β-ol-20-one, is an endogenous steroid. It is biosynthesized by 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from progesterone. Unlike 3α-dihydroprogesterone (3α-DHP), 3β-DHP does not act as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor, which is in accordance with the fact that other 3β-hydroxylated progesterone metabolites such as isopregnanolone and epipregnanolone similarly do not act as potentiators of this receptor and instead inhibit it as well as reverse the effects of potentiators like allopregnanolone. 3β-DHP has been reported to possess about the same potency as progesterone in a bioassay of progestogenic activity, whereas 3α-DHP was not assessed.
Etiocholane, also known as 5β-androstane or 5-epiandrostane, is an androstane (C19) steroid. It is the 5β-isomer of androstane. Etiocholanes include 5β-androstanedione, 5β-dihydrotestosterone, 3α,5β-androstanediol, 3β,5β-androstanediol, etiocholanolone, epietiocholanolone, and 3α,5β-androstanol.
Hydroxypregnanedione may refer to:
Pregnanediol may refer to:
Progesterone 3-acetyl enol ether, also known as progesterone acetate, as well as 3-acetoxypregna-3,5-dien-20-one, is a progestin which was never marketed. It was reported to possess similar potency to progesterone and hydroxyprogesterone caproate in the rabbit endometrial carbonic anhydrase test, a bioassay of progestogenic activity. In addition, it was able to maintain pregnancy in animals. Progesterone 3-acetyl enol ether is closely related to quingestrone, which is also known as progesterone 3-cyclopentyl enol ether and was formerly marketed as an oral contraceptive.
20α-Dihydrotrengestone (20α-DHTG), also known as 20α-hydroxytrengestone, as well as 6-chloro-20(S)-hydroxy-9β,10α-pregna-1,4,6-trien-3-one, is a progestin and the major active metabolite of trengestone. It appears that trengestone is a prodrug of 20α-DHTG, as it is largely transformed into this metabolite when given orally in humans. 20α-DHTG has potent progestogenic activity similarly to trengestone.
20β-Dihydroprogesterone (20β-DHP), also known as 20β-hydroxyprogesterone (20β-OHP), is an endogenous metabolite of progesterone which is formed by 20β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. It is a progestogen similarly to progesterone, with about one-fifth of the progestogenic activity of progesterone.
5β-Pregnane, also known as 17β-ethyletiocholane or as 10β,13β-dimethyl-17β-ethyl-5β-gonane, is a steroid and a parent compound of a variety of steroid derivatives. It is one of the epimers of pregnane, the other being 5α-pregnane. Derivatives of 5β-pregnane include the naturally occurring steroids 5β-dihydroprogesterone, pregnanolone, epipregnanolone, pregnanediol, and pregnanetriol, and the synthetic steroids hydroxydione, renanolone, ORG-20599, and SAGE-217. These derivatives include metabolites of progesterone and endogenous and synthetic neurosteroids.
