ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE .625 mg; 1.25 mg Tablet, 100-count — NDC 69315-0283-01 package photo

ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE .625 mg; 1.25 mg Tablet, 100-count

by Leading Pharmaceuticals, LLC · 100 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE (69315-283-01)
NDC 69315-0283-01
🏷️ FDA NDC (as labeled) 69315-283-01 billing pads the product segment with a zero
Rx only On market CIII
🗂️ Data synced Sep 17, 2026 · sources: openFDA · FDA label (DailyMed) · FDA Orange & Purple Book · First Databank · CMS NADAC, ASP, Medicare & Medicaid · RxNorm
📋 All sources & update times →

🆔 Identity & classification

FDA NDC (as labeled) 69315-283-01
Product NDC 69315-283
11-digit billing NDC 69315028301
NCPDP billing unit EA — each (per item)
RxCUI 197670, 238006
UNII 3ASP8Q3768, V9EFU16ZIF
UPC 0369315284018, 0369315283011
SPL Set ID 823629b9-cfb3-486b-b9aa-8efcfff67f67
Established class (EPC) Androgen
Mechanism of action Androgen Receptor Agonists
Chemical class Androstanes
DEA schedule CIII
Marketing category UNAPPROVED DRUG OTHER
Marketing status On market
FDA listing status Listed (active directory)
Marketing start 2022-10-01
Route ORAL
Dosage form TABLET
Substance ESTROGENS, ESTERIFIED; METHYLTESTOSTERONE
GPI-14 24991002300305
GCN Seq No 003257
GCN 68030
HICL code 001438
Ingredient (HICL) Estrogen,Ester/Me-Testosterone
HIC1 code G
Therapeutic class — broad (HIC1) Female Genital System
HIC2 code G1
Therapeutic class — intermediate (HIC2) Estrogens
HIC3 code G1B
Therapeutic class — specific (HIC3) Estrogen/Androgen Combinations
AHFS code 68:08.00.00
AHFS class Androgens
FDB label name ESTROGEN-METHYLTESTOS H.S. TAB
FDB brand name Estrogen-Methyltestosterone
Legend status F — Federal legend — prescription drug or device
Why two NDCs? The FDA registers this code as 69315-283-01 — a 5-3-2 layout, and that's what's printed on the package and shown on DailyMed. For insurance claims, every NDC is standardized to a uniform 11-digit 5-4-2 format by adding a zero to the product segment → 69315-0283-01. Same drug, same package — only the format differs.
Where does this data come from?
Identifiers from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory and Structured Product Labeling; RxCUI from RxNorm (NLM); GPI from Medi-Span; GCN / HIC / AHFS / legend from First Databank.

🏭 Manufacturer & labeler

LabelerLeading Pharmaceuticals, LLC
Labeler code69315
First marketedOct 2022
DEA scheduleCIII
Product typeHuman Prescription Drug
Portfolio2 products on file
The labeler markets the product; the application holder owns the FDA approval. They’re often the same company but can differ (e.g. a repackager or an authorized generic). A mailing address / phone appears here when the manufacturer includes it in the product’s FDA label (not all do).
Where does this data come from?
Labeler, application holder and registered establishment from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory and Drugs@FDA; address/contact from the product’s FDA label.

🩺 Clinical

Label name ESTROGEN-METHYLTESTOS H.S. TAB Ingredient Estrogen,Ester/Me-Testosterone
🧪 What is this product?

This is an oral tablet containing esterified estrogens and methyltestosterone. Esterified estrogens are a form of estrogen typically used in hormone therapy, while methyltestosterone is an androgen (male hormone) commonly used to address low testosterone levels. This combination product is marketed without an FDA-approved application and is a prescription medication.

5
Nutrient depletion considerations

Esterified Estrogens, Methyltestosterone may be associated with lower levels of 5 nutrients — worth a chat with your pharmacist, not a cause for alarm.

An association is not a deficiency. Educational only — don't start or stop anything without professional guidance.
Where does this data come from?
Plain-language summary from MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine); supplement & herbal interactions and nutrient depletion data from the Natural Medicines database; our full guide is HelloPharmacist editorial content.

💊 What it looks like

Color blue / green
ShapeOval
Imprint231;SYNTHO
Size15 mm
ScoringNot scored
One label can cover several strengths, so colors may be combined — always confirm a loose pill against the dispensed prescription label or a pharmacist.
Where does this data come from?
Physical description (imprint, shape, color, scoring, coating) from this product’s FDA Structured Product Labeling (SPL), mirrored from DailyMed / openFDA.

🧪 Inactive Ingredients / Excipients

Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.

💡 Tap an ingredient (hover on desktop) to see what it is and why it’s used.

  • UNII 35SW5USQ3G
    A synthetic yellow dye used to color medicines. It helps make tablets, capsules, and liquids visually distinct so patients can easily identify their medication.
  • UNII H3R47K3TBD
    FD&C Blue No. 1 is a synthetic blue dye approved for use in foods and medicines. It serves as a colorant to give the medication its distinctive appearance and help with product identification.
  • UNII EWQ57Q8I5X
    Lactose monohydrate is a natural sugar derived from milk. It serves as a filler and binder in tablets and capsules, helping create the proper size, texture, and consistency of the medicine.
  • UNII 70097M6I30
    Magnesium stearate is a salt made from magnesium and stearic acid, a fatty substance. It's used in tablets and capsules as a lubricant and glidant to help ingredients flow smoothly during manufacturing and prevent sticking.
  • UNII OP1R32D61U
    Microcrystalline cellulose is a purified form of cellulose, a natural fiber from plant sources. It acts as a binder and filler in tablets and capsules, helping hold ingredients together and give the medicine its shape and size.
  • UNII 15FIX9V2JP
    Titanium dioxide is a bright white mineral powder commonly used as a colorant and opacifying agent. It makes pills and tablets white or lighter in color and helps make coatings non-transparent.
  • UNII 059QF0KO0R
    Water is a liquid solvent that dissolves and mixes ingredients together in liquid medicines, syrups, and injections. It helps distribute the active drug evenly throughout the product.

7 inactive ingredients listed in the exact product block matched to this NDC.

Where does this data come from?
Data sourced from official FDA Structured Product Labeling (SPL) via DailyMedingredient classCode="IACT" elements from the exact product block matched by this NDC. Label-section narrative from DailyMed / the openFDA label index is shown separately when available.

Inactive ingredient FAQ

Are inactive ingredients the same for every manufacturer?
No. Inactive ingredients can differ by manufacturer, dosage form, strength, and package / product version.
Why might an inactive ingredient be missing?
Some SPLs do not provide a complete structured inactive-ingredient list, and older or unusual labels may only include the information in narrative text.
Can inactive ingredients matter?
Yes. They can matter for allergies, intolerances, dyes, gluten / lactose concerns, preservatives, and formulation differences — but confirm with a pharmacist or the manufacturer when it’s clinically important.

💲 Pricing

A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.

Price systemPer eachPer package
Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly Not in the retail survey — common for institutional, discontinued, or low-volume packs.
Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo No recent Medicaid claims on file for this NDC — rare and low-volume NDCs are suppressed in the public data.
Medicare drug plans payPart D · quarterly No Part D plan price is available for this NDC in our data.
ℹ️
No price is published for this exact package yet. CMS surveys NADAC per package size, so a different pack of the same drug often has one.
Where does this data come from?
NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) is the CMS weekly pharmacy-acquisition-cost survey — what pharmacies pay. ASP (Average Sales Price) is the CMS Medicare Part B drug-payment file, published quarterly. Medicaid pays is computed by us from CMS State Drug Utilization Data (total reimbursed ÷ units, trailing 12 months) — gross of rebates and inclusive of dispensing fees, so it reflects what Medicaid paid, not an acquisition cost. Medicare drug plans pay is the median negotiated point-of-sale unit cost across plans listing this NDC in the CMS quarterly Prescription Drug Plan pricing files, before rebates. The VA pays is the federal contract price (FSS, and the statutory Big 4 ceiling where listed) from the VA National Acquisition Center pharmaceutical price file. All are free public government data; each measures a different payer, so the figures are not directly comparable.

🔁 Therapeutic equivalents

ProductLabelerPackNADAC/unitTEStatusPrice vs. this
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 51293-0639-01 ECI 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 53746-0077-01 Amneal 100 tablets FDA listed
Estratest H.s. .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 58657-0403-01 Method 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens And Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 58657-0407-01 Method 100 tablets FDA listed
Estratest HS 1.25 mg/1; .625 mg 58657-0416-01 Method 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens And Methyltestosterone Half Strength .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 58657-0418-01 Method 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 62559-0150-01 ANI 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 63629-1980-01 Bryant 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 63629-9178-01 Bryant 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens And Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mgthis 69315-0283-01 Leading 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 71335-2951-01 Bryant 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 72162-1748-01 Bryant 100 tablets FDA listed
Esterified Estrogens And Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 82619-0136-01 Creekwood 100 tablets Discontinued
Esterified Estrogens and Methyltestosterone .625 mg/1; 1.25 mg 84346-0450-01 STATUS 100 tablets FDA listed
About this product: other versions of the same ingredient, strength and form are listed above, least expensive first, with FDA equivalence ratings where available.
Where does this data come from?
Equivalents are other NDCs of the same ingredient, form and route from the openFDA NDC Directory, ranked least-expensive-first by NADAC. Therapeutic-equivalence (AB) ratings come from the FDA Orange Book; biologics use the FDA Purple Book for biosimilar & interchangeable status.

Availability & generic status

🏛️
2022
On the market since
Oct 2022
📍
2026
Currently FDA-listed
4 years listed
🔒
·
No generic listed yet
brand only
ℹ️No FDA-approved generic found

We did not find an FDA-approved generic match for this exact strength, form and route.

Where does this data come from?
Patents and exclusivity from the FDA Orange Book (small-molecule drugs), refreshed from public FDA data. Generic launch timing is an estimate, not a guarantee.

📦 Packaging — all sizes for this product

Package NDCDescription Marketing startStatus
69315-0283-01 You're viewing this 100 TABLET in 1 BOTTLE (69315-283-01) 2022-10-01 Active

🧭 About this NDC listing & data coverage

Finished prescription product Marketed without an FDA application

Listed without an FDA application

This product's marketing category indicates it is marketed without an approved FDA application (no NDA, ANDA, or BLA on file). Having an NDC does not by itself establish FDA approval — the NDC Directory is a listing system, not an approval decision. Approval-linked data such as Orange Book therapeutic-equivalence ratings therefore does not apply.

What data is (and isn’t) available for this NDC — tap to expand
NDC identity (package / product / labeler codes) ✓ Available
Labeler ✓ Available
Product & package description ✓ Available
Marketing category & status ✓ Available
Active ingredient / dosage form / route ✓ Available
FDA label (SPL via DailyMed) ✓ Available
Package photos ✓ Available
Inactive ingredients (structured) ✓ Available
NADAC pharmacy acquisition price (CMS) — Not published for this NDC CMS publishes NADAC only for NDCs reported in its retail-pharmacy survey.
Orange Book / therapeutic-equivalence data — Not published for this NDC Applies only to products approved under an NDA/ANDA; many listings are out of scope.
HCPCS J-code billing crosswalk — Not published for this NDC Most self-administered / retail products have no J-code — that is normal.
Medicaid utilization (CMS SDUD) — Not published for this NDC CMS reports utilization only for NDCs with Medicaid claims above its privacy threshold.
“Not published” reflects what the public FDA / CMS / NLM sources provide for this exact package code — it is a property of the data feeds, not a judgment about the product.

Questions about this listing

Is this NDC FDA-approved?
An NDC listing does not by itself establish FDA approval — the NDC Directory records that a product is listed with FDA, not that it was reviewed and approved. This listing's marketing category is "Unapproved Drug Other". Products approved under an application carry an NDA, ANDA, or BLA number.
Why is there no price listed?
The pricing shown on our NDC pages comes from CMS NADAC, a voluntary survey of retail community pharmacy invoices. CMS does not publish a NADAC for every NDC — packages outside the retail survey (institutional and hospital products, bulk packages, discontinued items, and many OTC items) may never receive one. A missing price reflects the survey's scope, not this product's actual cost, and does not mean the product is free or unavailable.
Is the NDC printed on the package the same as the 11-digit billing NDC?
Yes, they identify this exact package in different formats. The FDA registers it as 69315-283-01, which is what is printed on the packaging and shown on DailyMed. Insurance claims use a fixed 11-digit 5-4-2 format, so the short segment is padded with a leading zero: 69315-0283-01, written without dashes as 69315028301. The Identity section at the top of this page lists every form of this code.
What do the three segments of this NDC mean?
In 69315-0283-01, the first segment (69315) is the labeler code FDA assigned to Leading Pharmaceuticals, LLC; the middle segment (0283) identifies this specific product — its ingredient, strength, and dosage form; and the last segment (01) identifies this exact package size and type. Together they name one specific package of one specific product.
Is this package still being marketed?
Yes, per the latest FDA NDC Directory data on this page: this package is listed as actively marketed, with no marketing end date reported by Leading Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Listing status can change — the directory data on this page refreshes weekly.
Who lists this product with the FDA?
Leading Pharmaceuticals, LLC is the labeler of record for this NDC — the company under whose FDA-assigned code the package is listed. The labeler may be the manufacturer itself or a distributor marketing the product under its own code.
Do I need a prescription for this product?
This NDC is listed with FDA as a prescription product, so it is dispensed under a prescriber's order. Your pharmacist can tell you whether any over-the-counter forms of the same medication exist.
This page identifies an FDA-listed package (the NDC) and reports public regulatory and pricing data about the listing. It is reference information, not a medical recommendation — talk to your pharmacist or prescriber about your own medication.
Where does this data come from?
Listing facts (marketing category, packager status, marketing dates) from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory; label availability from DailyMed; pricing coverage from CMS NADAC; equivalence scope from the FDA Orange Book.

📄 Full prescribing information FDA SPL

The complete FDA label for this product — the official prescribing information, verbatim, section by section. Jump with a chip, search within the label, or expand everything.
🚨 Boxed Warning ~3 min read

WARNINGS 1. ESTROGENS HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO INCREASE THE RISK OF ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA Three independent case control studies have reported an increased risk of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women exposed to exogenous estrogens for prolonged periods.1-3 This risk was independent of the other known risk factors for endometrial cancer. These studies are further supported by the finding that incidence rates of endometrial cancer have increased sharply since 1969 in eight different areas of the United States with population-based cancer reporting systems, an increase which may be related to the rapidly expanding use of estrogens during the last decade.

4 The three case control studies reported that the risk of endometrial cancer in estrogen users was about 4.5 to 13.9 times greater than in nonusers. The risk appears to depend on both duration of treatment1 and on estrogen dose. 3 In view of these findings, when estrogens are used for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, the lowest dose that will control symptoms should be utilized and medication should be discontinued as soon as possible.

When prolonged treatment is medically indicated, the patient should be reassessed on at least a semiannual basis to determine the need for continued therapy. Although the evidence must be considered preliminary, one study suggests that cyclic administration of low doses of estrogen may carry less risk than continuous administration, 3 it therefore appears prudent to utilize such a regimen. Close clinical surveillance of all women taking estrogens is important.

In all cases of undiagnosed persistent or recurring abnormal vaginal bleeding, adequate diagnostic measures should be undertaken to rule out malignancy. There is no evidence at present that "natural" estrogens are more or less hazardous than "synthetic" estrogens at equiestrogenic doses. 2.

ESTROGENS SHOULD NOT BE USED DURING PREGNANCY The use of female sex hormones, both estrogens and progestogens, during early pregnancy may seriously damage the offspring. It has been shown that females exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol, a non-steroidal estrogen, have an increased risk of developing in later life a form of vaginal or cervical cancer that is ordinarily extremely rare. 5,6 This risk has been estimated as not greater than 4 per 1000 exposures.

7 Furthermore, a high percentage of such exposed women (from 30 to 90 percent) have been found to have vaginal adenosis, 8-12 epithelial changes of the vagina and cervix. Although these changes are histologically benign, it is not known whether they are precursors of malignancy. Although similar data are not available with the use of other estrogens, it cannot be presumed they would not induce similar changes.

Several reports suggest an association between intrauterine exposure to female sex hormones and congenital anomalies, including congenital heart defects and limb reduction defects.13-16 One case control study16 estimated a 4.7 fold increased risk of limb reduction defects in infants exposed in utero to sex hormones (oral contraceptives, hormone withdrawal tests for pregnancy, or attempted treatment for threatened abortion). Some of these exposures were very short and involved only a few days of treatment. The data suggest that the risk of limb reduction defects in exposed fetuses is somewhat less than 1 per 1000.

In the past, female sex hormones have been used during pregnancy in an attempt to treat threatened or habitual abortion. There is considerable evidence that estrogens are ineffective for these indications, and there is no evidence from well controlled studies that progesterones are effective for these uses. IF ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE FULL STRENGTH or ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE HALF STRENGTH is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, she should be apprised of the potential risks to the fetus, and the advisability of pregnancy continuation.

🎯 Indications and Usage 105 words

INDICATIONS AND USAGE ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE FULL STRENGTH and ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE HALF STRENGTH are indicated in the treatment of: Moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with the menopause in those patients not improved by estrogens alone. (There is no evidence that estrogens are effective for nervous symptoms or depression without associated vasomotor symptoms, and they should not be used to treat such conditions.) ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE FULL STRENGTH and ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE HALF STRENGTH HAVE NOT BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR ANY PURPOSE DURING PREGNANCY AND ITS USE MAY CAUSE SEVERE HARM TO THE FETUS (SEE BOXED WARNING ).

⏱️ Dosage and Administration 141 words

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION 1. Given cyclically for short-term use only: For treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms associated with the menopause in patients not improved by estrogen alone. The lowest dose that will control symptoms should be chosen and medication should be discontinued as promptly as possible.

Administration should be cyclic (e.g., three weeks on and one week off). Attempts to discontinue or taper medication should be made at three to six month intervals. Usual Dosage Range 1 tablet of ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE FULL STRENGTH or 1 to 2 tablets of ESTERIFIED ESTROGENS AND METHYLTESTOSTERONE HALF STRENGTH daily as recommended by the physician.

Treated patients with an intact uterus should be monitored closely for signs of endometrial cancer and appropriate diagnostic measures should be taken to rule out malignancy in the event of persistent or recurring abnormal vaginal bleeding.

⚠️ Warnings ~3 min read

WARNINGS Associated with Estrogens Induction of malignant neoplasms . Long term continuous administration of natural and synthetic estrogens in certain animal species increases this frequency of carcinomas of the breast, cervix, vagina, and liver. There is now evidence that estrogens increase the risk of carcinoma of the endometrium in humans (See Boxed Warning ).

At the present time there is no satisfactory evidence that estrogens given to postmenopausal women increase the risk of cancer of the breast, 18 although a recent long-term follow-up of a single physician's practice has raised this possibility. 18a Because of the animal data, there is a need for caution in prescribing estrogens for women with a strong family history of breast cancer or who have breast nodules, fibrocystic disease, or abnormal mammograms. 2.

Gallbladder disease . A recent study has reported a 2 to 3-fold increase in the risk of surgically confirmed gallbladder disease in women receiving postmenopausal estrogens, 18 similar to the 2-fold increase previously noted in users of oral contraceptives. 19-24a In the case of oral contraceptives the increased risk appeared after two years of use.

24 3. Effects similar to those caused by estrogen-progesterone oral contraceptives . There are several serious adverse effects of oral contraceptives, most of which have not, up to now, been documented as consequences of postmenopausal estrogen therapy.

This may reflect the comparatively low doses of estrogen used in postmenopausal women. It would be expected that the larger doses of estrogen used to treat prostatic or breast cancer or postpartum breast engorgement are more likely to result in these adverse effects, and, in fact, it has been shown that there is an increased risk of thrombosis in men receiving estrogens for prostatic cancer and women for postpartum breast engorgement. 20-23 a.

Thromboembolic disease. It is now well established that users of oral contraceptives have an increased risk of various thromboembolic and thrombotic vascular diseases, such as thrombophlebitis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, and myocardial infarction. 24-31 Cases of retinal thrombosis, mesenteric thrombosis, and optic neuritis have been reported in oral contraceptive users.

There is evidence that the risk of several of these adverse reactions is related to the dose of the drug. 32-33 An increased risk of postsurgery thromboembolic complications has also been reported in users of oral contraceptives. 34-35 If feasible, estrogen should be discontinued at least 4 weeks before surgery of the type associated with an increased risk of thromboembolism, or during periods of prolonged immobilization.

While an increased rate of thromboembolic and thrombotic disease in postmenopausal users of estrogens has not been found, 18-36 this does not rule out the possibility that such an increase may be present or that subgroups of women who have underlying risk factors or who are receiving relatively large doses of estrogens may have increased risk. Therefore estrogens should not be used in persons with active thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic disorders, and they should not be used (except in treatment of malignancy) in persons with a history of such disorders in association with estrogen use.

They should be used with caution in patients with cerebral vascular or coronary artery disease and only for those in whom estrogens are clearly needed. Large doses of estrogen (5 mg esterified estrogens per day), comparable to those used to treat cancer of the prostate and breast, have been shown in a large prospective clinical trial in men 37 to increase the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and thrombophlebitis. When estrogen doses of this size are used, any of the thromboembolic and thrombotic adverse effects associated with oral contraceptive use should be considered a clear risk. b.

Hepatic adenoma. Benign hepatic adenomas appear to be associated with the use of oral contraceptives.…

🔄 Drug Interactions 76 words

D. Drug Interactions 1. Anticoagulants C-17 substituted derivatives of testosterone, such as methandrostenolone, have been reported to decrease the anticoagulant requirements of patients receiving oral anticoagulants.

Patients receiving oral anticoagulant therapy require close monitoring, especially when androgens are started or stopped. 2. Oxyphenbutazone .

Concurrent administration of oxyphenbutazone and androgens may result in elevated serum levels of oxyphenbutazone. 3. Insulin .

In diabetic patients the metabolic effects of androgens may decrease blood glucose and insulin requirements.

🤰 Pregnancy 11 words

G. Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects . Pregnancy Category X (see CONTRAINDICATIONS ).

🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ~3 min read

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Estrogens Estrogens are important in the development and maintenance of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. They promote growth and development of the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes, and enlargement of the breasts. Indirectly, they contribute to the shaping of the skeleton, maintenance of tone and elasticity of urogenital structures, changes in the epiphyses of the long bones that allow for the pubertal growth spurt and its termination, growth of axillary and pubic hair, and pigmentation of the nipples and genitals.

Decline of estrogenic activity at the end of the menstrual cycle can bring on menstruation, although the cessation of progesterone secretion is the most important factor in the mature ovulatory cycle. However, in the preovulatory or nonovulatory cycle, estrogen is the primary determinant in the onset of menstruation. Estrogens also affect the release of pituitary gonadotropins.

The pharmacologic effects of esterified estrogens are similar to those of endogenous estrogens. They are soluble in water and are well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. In responsive tissues (female genital organs, breasts, hypothalamus, pituitary) estrogens enter the cell and are transported into the nucleus.

As a result of estrogen action, specific RNA and protein synthesis occurs. Estrogen Pharmacokinetics Metabolism and inactivation occur primarily in the liver. Some estrogens are excreted into the bile; however they are reabsorbed from the intestine and returned to the liver through the portal venous system.

Water soluble esterified estrogens are strongly acidic and are ionized in body fluids, which favor excretion through the kidneys since tubular reabsorption is minimal. Androgens Endogenous androgens are responsible for the normal growth and development of the male sex organs and for maintenance of secondary sex characteristics. These effects include the growth and maturation of prostate, seminal vesicles, penis, and scrotum; the development of male hair distribution, such as beard, pubic, chest and axillary hair, laryngeal enlargement, vocal cord thickening, alterations in body musculature, and fat distribution.

Drugs in this class also cause retention of nitrogen, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and decreased urinary excretion of calcium. Androgens have been reported to increase protein anabolism and decrease protein catabolism. Nitrogen balance is improved only when there is sufficient intake of calories and protein.

Androgens are responsible for the growth spurt of adolescence and for the eventual termination of linear growth centers. In children, exogenous androgens accelerate linear growth rates, but may cause a disproportionate advancement in bone maturation. Use over long periods may result in fusion of the epiphyseal growth centers and termination of growth process.

Androgens have been reported to stimulate the production of red blood cells by enhancing the production of erythropoietic stimulating factor. Androgen Pharmacokinetics Testosterone given orally is metabolized by the gut and 44 percent is cleared by the liver in the first pass. Oral doses as high as 400 mg per day are needed to achieve clinically effective blood levels for full replacement therapy.

The synthetic androgens (methyltestosterone and fluoxymesterone) are less extensively metabolized by the liver and have longer half-lives. They are more suitable than testosterone for oral administration. Testosterone in plasma is 98 percent bound to a specific testosterone estradiol binding globulin, and about 2 percent is free.

Generally, the amount of this sex-hormone binding globulin in the plasma will determine the distribution of testosterone between free and bound forms, and the free testosterone concentration will determine its half-life. About 90 percent of a dose of testosterone is excreted in the urine as glucuronic and sulfuric acid conjugates of testosterone and its metabolites; about 6 percent…

Source: FDA Structured Product Labeling, mirrored from DailyMed / openFDA. Prefer the government’s original formatting? View this label on DailyMed ↗
For educational and professional reference only — not medical advice. Pricing reflects published NADAC and CMS ASP (free public data) and may differ from your acquisition cost; always verify before billing or dispensing.