estrogens brands

Molecular formula: C18H19NaO5S

All estrogen products mimic the effects of endogenous estrogens in the body which are responsible for the development and maintenance of the female reproductive system and secondary sexual characteristics. Estrogens act by binding to estrogen receptors on a wide variety of tissues in the body and modulating the pituitary secretion of the gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) through a negative feedback mechanism. Prior to menopause, the primary source of estrogen is the ovarian follicle, which secretes 70-500 micrograms of estradiol daily, depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle. However, once a woman stops ovulating there is a sharp decline in the production of progesterone and estradiol by the ovaries and a consequent fluctuation in LH and FSH due to a lack of feedback control. This shift in hormone production is largely responsible for many of the symptoms experienced during and after menopause and includes hot flashes and other vasomotor symptoms, painful intercourse, vaginal dryness, and vulvovaginal atrophy. These symptoms are able to be reduced by replacing many of the hormones lost during and following menopause with synthetic or naturally occurring forms, in a therapy known as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). The principal pharmacologic effects of conjugated estrogens are similar to those of other natural and synthetic estrogens. Estrogens have an important role in the reproductive, skeletal, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems in women, and act principally by regulating gene expression. Biologic response is initiated when estrogen binds to a ligand-binding domain of the estrogen receptor resulting in a conformational change that leads to gene transcription through specific estrogen response elements (ERE) of target gene promoters; subsequent activation or repression of the target gene is mediated through 2 distinct transactivation domains (ie, AF-1 and AF-2) of the receptor. The estrogen receptor also mediates gene transcription using different response elements (ie, AP-1) and other signal pathways. Recent advances in the molecular pharmacology of estrogen and estrogen receptors have resulted in the development of selective estrogen receptor modulators (eg, clomiphene, raloxifene, tamoxifen, toremifene), agents that bind and activate the estrogen receptor but that exhibit tissue-specific effects distinct from estrogen. Tissue-specific estrogen-agonist or -antagonist activity of these drugs appears to be related to structural differences in their estrogen receptor complex (eg, specifically the surface topography of AF-2 for raloxifene) compared with the estrogen (estradiol)-estrogen receptor complex. A second estrogen receptor also has been identified, and existence of at least 2 estrogen receptors (ER-alpha, ER-beta) may contribute to the tissue-specific activity of selective modulators. While the role of the estrogen receptor in bone, cardiovascular tissue, and the CNS continues to be studied, emerging evidence indicates that the mechanism of action of estrogen receptors in these tissues differs from the manner in which estrogen receptors function in reproductive tissue. /Estrogen General Statement/ Intracellular cytosol-binding proteins for estrogens have been identified in estrogen-responsive tissues including the female genital organs, breasts, pituitary, and hypothalamus. The estrogen-binding protein complex (ie, cytosol-binding protein and estrogen) distributes into the cell nucleus where it stimulates DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis. The presence of these receptor proteins is responsible for the palliative response to estrogen therapy in women with metastatic carcinoma of the breast. /Estrogen General Statement/ Estrogens have generally favorable effects on blood cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations. Estrogens reduce LDL-cholesterol and increase HDL-cholesterol concentrations in a dose-related manner. The decrease in LDL-cholesterol concentrations

Source: PubChem (NCBI) · compound 23676225