Cannabis Ruderalis

Progesterone.
Steroid ring system.

This is a list of progestogens that are or that have been used in clinical or veterinary medicine. They are steroids and include derivatives of progesterone and testosterone.

Progesterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name Structure
Progesterone Pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione
Quingestrone Progesterone 3-cyclopentyl enol ether

Retroprogesterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name Structure
Retroprogesterone 9β,10α-Progesterone
Dydrogesterone 6-Dehydro-9β,10α-progesterone
Trengestone 6-Chloro-1,6-didehydro-9β,10α-progesterone

Note that although an active progestogen, retroprogesterone is not medically used.

17α-Hydroxyprogesterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name Structure
Hydroxyprogesterone 17α-Hydroxyprogesterone
Acetomepregenol (mepregenol diacetate) 3β,17α-Diacetoxy-6-methyl-6-dehydro-3-deketoprogesterone
Algestone 16α,17α-Dihydroxyprogesterone
Algestone acetophenide 16α,17α-Dihydroxyprogesterone acetophenide
Anagestone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6α-methyl-3-deketoprogesterone
Chlormadinone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6-chloro-6-dehydroprogesterone
Chlormethenmadinone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6-chloro-16-methylene-6-dehydroprogesterone
Cyproterone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-1,2α-methylene-6-chloro-6-dehydroprogesterone
Delmadinone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6-chloro-1,6-didehydro-progesterone
Flugestone acetate (flurogestone acetate) 17α-Acetoxy-9α-fluoro-11β-hydroxyprogesterone
Flumedroxone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6α-(trifluoromethyl)progesterone
Hydroxyprogesterone acetate 17α-Acetoxyprogesterone
Hydroxyprogesterone caproate 17α-Hexanoxyprogesterone
Hydroxyprogesterone heptanoate 17α-Heptanoxyprogesterone
Medroxyprogesterone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6α-methylprogesterone
Megestrol acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6-methyl-6-dehydroprogesterone
Melengestrol acetate 17α-Acetoxy-16-methylene-6-methyl-6-dehydroprogesterone
Methenmadinone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-16-methylene-6-dehydroprogesterone
Osaterone acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6-chloro-2-oxa-6-dehydroprogesterone
Pentagestrone acetate 17α-Acetoxyprogesterone 3-cyclopentyl enol ether

Note that 17α-hydroxyprogesterone is inactive as a progestogen and is not used medically.

The 19-norprogesterone derivatives gestonorone caproate (gestronol hexanoate), nomegestrol acetate, segesterone acetate (nestorone, elcometrine), and norgestomet are also derivatives of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (see below).

17α-Methylprogesterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name Structure
17α-Methylprogesterone 17α-Methylprogesterone
Medrogestone 6,17α-Dimethyl-6-dehydroprogesterone

Note that although an active progestogen, 17α-methylprogesterone is not medically used.

The 19-norprogesterone derivatives demegestone, promegestone, and trimegestone are also derivatives of 17α-methylprogesterone (see below).

Other 17α-substituted progesterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name Structure
Haloprogesterone 6α-Fluoro-17α-bromoprogesterone
Proligestone 14α,17α-Propylidenedioxyprogesterone

19-Norprogesterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name Structure
19-Norprogesterone 19-Norprogesterone
Demegestone 17α-Methyl-9-dehydro-19-norprogesterone
Gestonorone caproate (gestronol hexanoate) 17α-Caproxy-19-norprogesterone
Nomegestrol acetate 17α-Acetoxy-6-methyl-6-dehydro-19-norprogesterone
Norgestomet 17α-Acetoxy-11β-methyl-19-norprogesterone
Promegestone 17α,21-Dimethyl-9-dehydro-19-norprogesterone
Segesterone acetate (nestorone, elcometrine) 17α-Acetoxy-16-methylene-19-norprogesterone
Trimegestone 21β-Hydroxy-17α,21-dimethyl-9-dehydro-19-norprogesterone

Note that although an active progestogen, 19-norprogesterone is not medically used.

Testosterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name(s) Structure
Testosterone 17β-Deacetyl-17β-hydroxyprogesterone
Androst-4-en-17β-ol-3-one

Note that testosterone itself does not have significant progestogenic activity. Testosterone is instead classified as an anabolic-androgenic steroid and is included here purely because it is the parent structure of this group of progestins.

17α-Ethynyltestosterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name(s) Structure
Ethisterone (ethinyltestosterone) 17α-Ethynyltestosterone
Danazol (2,3-isoxazolethisterone) 2,3-Isoxazol-17α-ethynyltestosterone?
Dimethisterone 6α,21-Dimethyl-17α-ethynyltestosterone

19-Nortestosterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name(s) Structure
Nandrolone (nortestosterone) 19-Nortestosterone
Oxendolone (TSAA-291) 16β-Ethyl-19-nortestosterone

Note that while nandrolone (19-nortestosterone) does have significant progestogenic activity, it is not used as a progestogen. It is instead classified as an androgenic-anabolic steroid and is included here purely because it is an important parent structure of this group of progestins.

17α-Ethynyl-19-nortestosterone derivatives[edit]

Estranes[edit]

Compound Chemical name(s) Structure
Norethisterone (norethindrone) 17α-Ethynyl-19-nortestosterone
Etynodiol diacetate (ethynodiol diacetate) 17α-Ethynyl-3-deketo-3β-hydroxy-19-nortestosterone 3β,17β-diacetate
Lynestrenol (3-deketonorethisterone) 17α-Ethynyl-3-deketo-19-nortestosterone
Norethisterone acetate (norethindrone acetate) 17α-Ethynyl-19-nortestosterone 17β-acetate
Norethisterone enanthate (norethindrone enanthate) 17α-Ethynyl-19-nortestosterone 17β-enanthate
Noretynodrel (norethynodrel) 17α-Ethynyl-δ5(10)-19-nortestosterone
Norgestrienone (ethinyltrenbolone) 17α-Ethynyl-19-nor-δ9,11-testosterone
Quingestanol acetate 4-Hydro-17α-ethynyl-19-nor-δ3,5-testosterone 3-cyclopentyl ether 17β-acetate?
Tibolone (7α-methylnoretynodrel) 7α-Methyl-17α-ethynyl-19-nor-δ5(10)-testosterone

18-Methylestranes (13β-ethylgonanes)[edit]

Compound Chemical name(s) Structure
Desogestrel 3-Deketo-11-methylene-17α-ethynyl-18-methyl-19-nortestosterone
Etonogestrel (3-ketodesogestrel) 11-Methylene-17α-ethynyl-18-methyl-19-nortestosterone
Gestodene (15-dehydronorgestrel) 17α-Ethynyl-18-methyl-19-nor-δ15-testosterone
Gestrinone (ethylnorgestrienone, R-2323) 17α-Ethynyl-18-methyl-19-nor-δ9,11-testosterone
Levonorgestrel 17α-Ethynyl-18-methyl-19-nortestosterone
Norelgestromin (17β-deacetylnorgestimate, norgestrel 3-oxime) 17α-Ethynyl-18-methyl-19-nortestosterone 3-oxime
Norgestimate 17α-Ethynyl-18-methyl-19-nortestosterone 3-oxime 17β-acetate
Norgestrel (13-methylnorethisterone) rac-13-Ethyl-17α-ethynyl-19-nortestosterone

Other 17α-substituted 19-nortestosterone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name(s) Structure
Allylestrenol (allyloestrenol) 3-Deketo-17α-allyl-19-nortestosterone
Altrenogest (allyltrenbolone, allyltrienolone) 17α-Allyl-19-nor-δ9,11-testosterone
Dienogest 17α-Cyanomethyl-19-nor-δ9-testosterone
Normethandrone (methylestrenolone, normethandrolone, normethisterone, methylnortestosterone) 17α-Methyl-19-nortestosterone
Norvinisterone (vinylnortestosterone, SC-4641) 17α-Vinyl-19-nortestosterone
Norgesterone (norvinodrel, vinylestrenolone, vinylnoretynodrel) 17α-Vinyl-δ5(10)-19-nortestosterone

Spirolactone derivatives[edit]

Compound Chemical name(s) Structure
SC-5233 (spirolactone) 17α-(2-Carboxyethyl)testosterone γ-lactone
Drospirenone 6β,7β:15β,16β-Dimethylenespirolactone

Note that although an active progestogen, SC-5233 (spirolactone) is not medically used.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

? = Chemical names that are unverified.

Further reading[edit]

  • McRobb L, Handelsman DJ, Kazlauskas R, Wilkinson S, McLeod MD, Heather AK (2008). "Structure-activity relationships of synthetic progestins in a yeast-based in vitro androgen bioassay". J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 110 (1–2): 39–47. doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2007.10.008. PMID 18395441. S2CID 5612000.

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