Possible Interaction: Progestins and Steroids

“It has been suggested that the biosynthesis of endogenous steroid hormones can be modulated by progestins , used widely by women in female reproductive medicine.”

“This review summarises the evidence indicating that progestins influence the biosynthesis of steroid hormones in the adrenal and gonads, as well as the metabolism of these endogenous hormones in the breast, highlighting the limitations to the current knowledge and directions for future research.”

“Subsequent assays performed in COS-1 cells expressing human 3βHSD2, suggest that these progestins modulate the biosynthesis of steroid hormones by inhibiting the activity of 3βHSD2.”

“The sex steroids influence the structure of the vessel wall, whereby the elasticity of arteries is enhanced by estrogens and reduced by progestogens.”

“ Progestins exert different effects according to the steroid from which they are derived, e.g. pregnanes derived from progesterone, estranes or gonanes derived from testosterone.”

“Measurement of breast-milk glucocorticoid concentrations is challenging due to possible cross-reactivity with progestagens and sex steroids , which are severely elevated during pregnancy and after parturition.”

“These data indicate that opposing steroid influences can be mediated at the level of transcription through the AP-1 site and suggest that the integration of hormone action at this response element may underlie some of the opposing actions of estrogens and glucocorticoids or progestins on physiological responses.”

“In the gestodene combination, the progestogen's increased biologic activity allows further reduction of total steroid dose.”

“By varying the dose of progestin during the cycle, the total steroid dose per month has been reduced as compared to most fixed-dose preparations.”

“Evidence is provided in support of the following points: (1) arteriosclerosis risk increases in women after age 40 at a rate parallel to … component, with estrogen producing putatively favorable changes, and progestin, unfavorable changes; and (4) arteriosclerosis and myocardial infarction (MI) risk in young women using OC steroids … progestin ….”

“In conclusion, 1) endogenous opioid activity is low in oophorectomized women; 2) treatment with estrogen increases opioid activity, and the addition of a progestin increases this activity further; and 3) these data support the contention that sex steroids exert a profound influence on endogenous opioid activity.”