17-α-HYDROXYPROGESTERONE ACETATE; AN EFFECTIVE PROGESTATIONAL SUBSTANCE ON ORAL ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

PROGESTERONE is most effective when administered parenterally and it is rather rapidly metabolized and excreted. In order to avoid daily injections of progesterone, it is necessary to have either a parenteral form with a prolonged effect (1, 2) or an oral substance with progestational properties. The progestational substance most widely used for oral administration is 20,21-antrydro-17-β-hydroxyprogesterone (pregneninolone, 17-α-ethinyltestosterone). It is the purpose of this paper to introduce and describe a new steroid for oral administration, 17-α-hydroxyprogesterone acetate*, and to compare it with the most widely used oral substance with progestational properties, 20,21-anhydro-17-β-hydroxyprogesterone. PATIENTS AND METHOD Comparative tests were performed on 3 surgically castrated women, who previously had been subjected to other cyclic studies during which it was shown that secretory changes could be induced in the endometria. The tests were performed with anhydrohydroxyprogesterone, and with 17-α-hydroxyprogesterone acetate. For the purpose of producing proliferation, the dosage of estrogen was always 1 mg. of diethylstilbestrol daily (orally) for the complete 29-day cycle. Either anhydrohydroxyprogesterone or 17-α-hydroxyprogesterone acetate was administered from the fourteenth through the twenty-ninth day. The exact dosages are shown in Table 1.