Citations for: WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer: IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Volume 91: Combined Estrogen-Progestogen Contraceptives and Combined Estrogen-Progestogen Menopausal Therapy. 2007, Lyon, France.

Entry Type
Name
Value
Parent Entry
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White, crystalline powder
Levonorgestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
USP: 232-239° C, but the range between start and end of melting does not exceed 4° C
IARC: 235-237 °C
Levonorgestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Slightly soluble in ethanol (1 in 120), chloroform (1 in 15), diethyl ether (1 in 400) and dioxane
Levonorgestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
USP: Between -30 and -35°, 20 mg/mL in chloroform
-32.4 °C in chloroform
Levonorgestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White or almost white crystalline powder, odorless.
Medroxy­progesterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
PubChem: 214.5° C
IARC: 207-209 °C
Medroxy­progesterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Practically insoluble in water. Slightly soluble in diethyl ether. Freely soluble in chloroform and dichloromethane. Soluble in acetone and dioxane. Sparingly soluble in ethanol and methanol.
Medroxy­progesterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
+47 to +53 (dried substance 0.250 g in acetone diluted to 25 mL).
+45 to +51 deg, 10 mg per mL in dioxane.
+61° in chloroform
Medroxy­progesterone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Elimination Half-Life (t1/2)
  • PubChem: 13-27 h (35 μg ethinyl estradiol with 1 mg norethindrone)
  • 7.7 h (single oral dose)
  • PubChem: 36 +/- 13 h
Ethinyl Estradiol (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Progesterone Receptor Activity
Agonist. Some antagonist behavior.
Dienogest (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Androgen Receptor Activity
Antagonist (40% of CPA, the most potent anti-androgenic progestin)
Dienogest (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Estrogen Receptor Activity
Weak or no agonist and antagonist activity
Dienogest (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Glucocorticoid Receptor Activity
Low to no activity
Dienogest (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Activity
No activity
Dienogest (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Elimination Half-Life (t1/2)
8-10 h
Dienogest (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Serum Protein Binding
90% bound to serum albumin, 10% free. No binding to SHBG or CBG.
Dienogest (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Progesterone Receptor Activity
Agonist
Drospirenone (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Androgen Receptor Activity
Partial antagonist (about 30% activity of cyproterone acetate)
Drospirenone (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Estrogen Receptor Activity
Antagonist
Drospirenone (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Glucocorticoid Receptor Activity
No activity
Drospirenone (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Activity
Antagonist (antimineralocorticoid or aldosterone antagonist). Agonist reports vary: "weak" (Africander) to "strong" (Bartsch).
Drospirenone (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
USP: 198°-203° (dry over silica gel for at least 24 hours first)
IARC: 201.3 °C
Drospirenone (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White or yellowish white, odorless, crystalline powder
Norethindrone (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
Zafar: 201-203 °C
IARC, Toxnet: 203-204 °C
Norethindrone (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Insoluble in water, soluble in chloroform and dioxane, sparingly soluble in acetone and anhydrous ethanol. Slightly soluble in diethyl ether.
Norethindrone (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Bioavailability
76-85%
Drospirenone (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Bioavailability
99%
Gestodene (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Elimination Half-Life (t1/2)
12-14 h, 16-18 h
Gestodene (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
USP: -187°-193° at 20° on anhydrous and solvent-free basis, 10 mg/mL in methanol
HSDB, IARC, Toxnet: -182° at 22° C/D (c = 0.5 in chloroform)
Drospirenone (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Estrogen Receptor Activity
Agonist, but binds poorly. Most of its effects are carried out via metabolism to ethinyl estradiol.
Mestranol (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
Crystals
Gestodene (API)
Metabolites
Ethinyl Estradiol
N/A
Metabolites
Norethindrone
N/A
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White, odorless, crystalline powder
Ethynodiol Diacetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
126-127 °C
Ethynodiol Diacetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White or almost white powder
Norgestimate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
216° C
IARC, Toxnet: 214-218 °C
Norgestimate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Progesterone Receptor Activity
Partial agonist
Norgestimate (API)
Metabolites
Norelgestromin
N/A
Metabolites
Levonorgestrel
N/A
Metabolites
Levonorgestrel Acetate
N/A
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Very slightly soluble to practically insoluble in water, soluble in ethanol, freely to very soluble in chloroform, freely soluble in diethyl ether.
Ethynodiol Diacetate (API)
Impurity
13-Ethyl-11-methylene-18,19-dinor-5α,17α-pregn-3-en-20-yn-17-ol
N/A
Impurity
11-Methylene Lynestrenol
N/A
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White, crystalline powder.
Desogestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
228.2-233.6 °F (109-112 °C)
Desogestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
0.5 mg/L water. Freely soluble in 100% ethanol and in dichloromethane; very soluble in methanol; slightly soluble in 96% ethanol and in ethyl acetate; sparingly soluble in hexane.
Desogestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
[α]20D, +53° to -57° in chloroform.
Desogestrel (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Serum Protein Binding
75% to SHBG, 24% to albumin, 0.6% free (exact percentages vary depending on treatment)
Gestodene (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
white or yellowish-white, odorless, crystalline powder
Norethindrone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
161-163 °C
Norethindrone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Practically insoluble in water (1 g in > 10 L). Soluble in chloroform (1 part in <1), ethanol (1 part in 10), dioxane (1 part in 2), and diethyl ether (1 part in 18).
Norethindrone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
-32° to -28°
Norethindrone Acetate (API)
Toxicology Data Field
Carcinogenicity
"There is sufficient evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of post-menopausal estrogen therapy. There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of estradiol and estrone."
Estradiol (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Practically insoluble in water, freely soluble in methylene chloride, soluble in acetone, sparingly soluble in acetonitrile.
Norgestimate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White or almost white crystalline powder
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
BP: About 210 °C
DrugBank, IARC, Toxnet: 200-201 °C
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Practically insoluble in water, very soluble in methylene chloride, freely soluble in acetone, soluble in methanol, sparingly soluble in anhydrous ethanol
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
+152 to +157, 0.25 g dried substance in acetone, dilute to 25.0 mL
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White or almost white, odorless, crystalline powder
Megestrol Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
BP: About 217° C
ChemIDPlus: 214° C
Megestrol Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Practically insoluble in water (2 μg/mL at 37 °C). Very soluble in chloroform. Slightly soluble in diethyl ether and fixed oils. Soluble in acetone, sparingly soluble in ethanol (96%).
Megestrol Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
+14.0 to +17.0, dried substance, 2.50 g in methylene chloride diluted to 25.0 mL
+5° in chloroform
Megestrol Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
USP, IARC: +40° to +46°, 10 mg/mL in chloroform
BP: +42° to +50°, 0.200 g in 20.0 mL methylene chloride
Toxnet: +110 ° at 25 °C in unspecified solvent
Norgestimate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White, odorless, crystalline powder.
Norethynodrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
169.5° C
Norethynodrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Very slightly soluble in water, freely soluble in chloroform, soluble in acetone, sparingly soluble in ethanol.
Norethynodrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White to light-yellow, odorless crystals
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
212-214 ° C
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Appearance
White, crystalline powder
Lynestrenol (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
158-160 °C
Lynestrenol (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Progesterone Receptor Activity
Agonist
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Androgen Receptor Activity
Antagonist
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Estrogen Receptor Activity
Antagonist
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Glucocorticoid Receptor Activity
Agonist
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Progesterone Receptor Activity
Agonist
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Androgen Receptor Activity
Potent antagonist
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Estrogen Receptor Activity
Antagonist
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Glucocorticoid Receptor Activity
Agonist
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Activity
No activity
Cyproterone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
-70° to -76°, 10 mg/mL in chloroform
Ethynodiol Diacetate (API)
Pharmacology Data Field
Metabolism
Metabolized by CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP3A4 into ethynodiol, then norethindrone.
Lynestrenol (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Melting Point
197.9° C
Gestodene (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
BP: +0.05° to -0.05°. 0.5 g in methylene chloride diluted to 10.0 mL
IARC: -0.1 to +0.1° in chloroform
Norgestrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Practically insoluble in water, very soluble in chloroform, soluble in acetonitrile, slightly soluble in ethanol and diethyl ether.
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
[α]20D, -10.0° to -14.0° in acetonitrile.
[α]D, +6° in chloroform.
Chlormadinone Acetate (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Solubility
Practically insoluble in water; soluble in ethanol, acetone and diethyl ether; freely soluble in chloroform
Lynestrenol (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
-13 ° in chloroform
Lynestrenol (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
+108° in 1% chloroform
Norethynodrel (API)
Physical & Chemical Properties Data Field
Specific Optical Rotation
-32.0 to -37.0 (dried)
-31.7 °C in chloroform
Norethindrone (API)