A nonsteroidal estrogen is an

estrogen Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal acti ...

with a

nonsteroidal A nonsteroidal compound is a drug that is not a steroid nor a steroid derivative. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are distinguished from corticosteroids as a class of anti-inflammatory agents. List of nonsteroidal steroid receptor mod ...

chemical structure A chemical structure determination includes a chemist's specifying the molecular geometry and, when feasible and necessary, the electronic structure of the target molecule or other solid. Molecular geometry refers to the spatial arrangement of at ...

. The most well-known example is the

stilbestrol Stilbestrol, or stilboestrol, also known as 4,4'-dihydroxystilbene or 4,4'-stilbenediol, is a stilbenoid nonsteroidal estrogen and the parent compound of a group of more potent nonsteroidal estrogen derivatives that includes, most notably, dieth ...

estrogen

diethylstilbestrol Diethylstilbestrol (DES), also known as stilbestrol or stilboestrol, is a nonsteroidal estrogen medication, which is presently rarely used. In the past, it was widely used for a variety of indications, including pregnancy support for those with a ...

(DES). Although nonsteroidal estrogens formerly had an important place in medicine, they have gradually fallen out of favor following the discovery of toxicities associated with high-dose DES starting in the early 1970s, and are now almost never used. On the other hand, virtually all

selective estrogen receptor modulator Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), also known as estrogen receptor agonist/antagonists (ERAAs), are a class of drugs that act on the estrogen receptor (ER). A characteristic that distinguishes these substances from pure ER agonists a ...

s (SERMs) are nonsteroidal, with

triphenylethylene Triphenylethylene (TPE) is a simple aromatic hydrocarbon that possesses weak estrogenic activity. Its estrogenic effects were discovered in 1937. TPE was derived from structural modification of the more potent estrogen diethylstilbestrol, which is ...

s like

tamoxifen Tamoxifen, sold under the brand name Nolvadex among others, is a selective estrogen receptor modulator used to prevent breast cancer in women and treat breast cancer in women and men. It is also being studied for other types of cancer. It has b ...

and

clomifene Clomifene, also known as clomiphene, is a medication used to treat infertility in women who do not ovulate, including those with polycystic ovary syndrome. Use results in a greater chance of twins. It is taken by mouth once a day, with a course ...

having been derived from DES, and these drugs remain widely used in medicine for the treatment of

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

among other indications. In addition to

pharmaceutical drug A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and re ...

s, many

xenoestrogen Xenoestrogens are a type of xenohormone that imitates estrogen. They can be either synthetic or natural chemical compounds. Synthetic xenoestrogens include some widely used industrial compounds, such as PCBs, BPA, and phthalates, which have estro ...

s, including

phytoestrogen A phytoestrogen is a plant-derived xenoestrogen (see estrogen) not generated within the endocrine system, but consumed by eating plants or manufactured foods. Also called a "dietary estrogen", it is a diverse group of naturally occurring nonstero ...

mycoestrogen Mycoestrogens are xenoestrogens produced by fungi. They are sometimes referred to as mycotoxins. Among important mycoestrogens are zearalenone, zearalenol and zearalanol. Although all of these can be produced by various ''Fusarium'' species, zea ...

s, and synthetic endocrine disruptors like

bisphenol A Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical compound primarily used in the manufacturing of various plastics. It is a colourless solid which is soluble in most common organic solvents, but has very poor solubility in water. BPA is produced on an industrial s ...

, are nonsteroidal substances with estrogenic activity.

Pharmacology

Nonsteroidal estrogens act as

agonist An agonist is a chemical that activates a receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an antagonist blocks the action of the ago ...

s of the

estrogen receptor Estrogen receptors (ERs) are a group of proteins found inside cells. They are receptors that are activated by the hormone estrogen ( 17β-estradiol). Two classes of ER exist: nuclear estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), which are members of the ...

ERα Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), also known as NR3A1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group A, member 1), is one of two main types of estrogen receptor, a nuclear receptor (mainly found as a chromatin-binding protein) that is activated by the sex ...

and

ERβ Estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) also known as NR3A2 (nuclear receptor subfamily 3, group A, member 2) is one of two main types of estrogen receptor—a nuclear receptor which is activated by the sex hormone estrogen. In humans ERβ is encoded by ...

List of nonsteroidal estrogens

Synthetic

Pharmaceutical

Stilbestrol Stilbestrol, or stilboestrol, also known as 4,4'-dihydroxystilbene or 4,4'-stilbenediol, is a stilbenoid nonsteroidal estrogen and the parent compound of a group of more potent nonsteroidal estrogen derivatives that includes, most notably, dieth ...

benzestrol Benzestrol (, ) (brand names Chemestrogen, Ocestrol, Octestrol, Octoestrol, Octofollin) is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the stilbestrol group which was formerly used medically but has since been discontinued. The stilbestrol estrogens, th ...

bifluranol Bifluranol (, ; brand name Prostarex; former developmental code name BX-341) is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the stilbestrol group related to diethylstilbestrol that has been used as an antiandrogen in the United Kingdom in the treatmen ...

dienestrol Dienestrol (, ) (brand names Ortho Dienestrol, Dienoestrol, Dienoestrol Ortho, Sexadien, Denestrolin, Dienol, Dinovex, Follormon, Oestrodiene, Synestrol, numerous others), also known as dienoestrol (), is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the s ...

dimestrol Dimestrol (brand names Depot-Cyren, Depot-Oestromon), also known as dianisylhexene, 4,4'-dimethoxy-α,α'-diethylstilbene, diethylstilbestrol dimethyl ether, and dimethoxydiethylstilbestrol, is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the stilbestr ...

fosfestrol Fosfestrol, sold under the brand name Honvan and also known as diethylstilbestrol diphosphate (DESDP), is an estrogen medication which is used in the treatment of prostate cancer in men. It is given by slow intravenous infusion once per day to on ...

, furostilbestrol,

hexestrol Hexestrol, sold under the brand name Synestrol among others, is a nonsteroidal estrogen which was previously used for estrogen replacement therapy and in the treatment of certain hormone-dependent cancers as well as gynecological disorders but ...

mestilbol Mestilbol (brand name Monomestro or Monomestrol), also known as diethylstilbestrol monomethyl ether, is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the stilbestrol group related to diethylstilbestrol. It was developed by Wallace & Tiernan Company, pat ...

methestrol Methestrol (; brand name Meprane) or methoestrol, also known as promethestrol or promethoestrol () or as dimethylhexestrol, is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the stilbestrol group related to diethylstilbestrol Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a ...

pentafluranol Pentafluranol ( INN, BAN) (developmental code name BX-430) is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen of the stilbestrol group related to diethylstilbestrol that was developed for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia never marketed. It was de ...

phenestrol Phenestrol, or fenestrol, also known as hexestrol bis -[bis(2-chloroethyl)aminohenylacetate, is a synthetic compound">synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen and cytostatic antineoplastic agent (i.e., chemotherapy drug) and a chlorine, chlorphenyl group, ...

, terfluranol, stilbestrol esters * Triphenylethylenes: chlorotrianisene, desmethylchlorotrianisene, estrobin, estrobin (), M2613, triphenylbromoethylene, triphenylchloroethylene, triphenyliodoethylene, triphenylmethylethylene *

Secosteroid A secosteroid () is a type of steroid with a "broken" ring. The word ''secosteroid ''derives from the Latin verb ''secare'' meaning "to cut", and 'steroid'. Secosteroids are alternatively described as a subclass of steroids; ; or derived from s ...

s (open-ring steroids):

allenestrol Allenestrol, or allenoestrol, also known as α,α-dimethyl-β-ethylallenolic acid or as methallenestrilphenol, is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen and a derivative of allenolic acid that was never marketed. A methyl ether of allenestrol, methall ...

allenolic acid Allenolic acid, or allenoic acid, is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen discovered in 1947 or 1948 that, although studied clinically, was never marketed. It is an open-ring or seco- analogue of steroidal estrogens like estrone and equilenin. Th ...

bisdehydrodoisynolic acid Bisdehydrodoisynolic acid (BDDA), as the (Z)-isomer ((Z)-BDDA), is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen related to doisynolic acid that was never marketed. It is one of the most potent estrogens known, although it has more recently been characteri ...

carbestrol Carbestrol (developmental code names NSC-19962, ORF-2166) is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen of the cyclohexenecarboxylic acid group and seco analogue of doisynolic acid that was described in the literature in 1956 and developed for the trea ...

doisynoestrol Doisynoestrol (brand names Fenocyclin, Surestrine, Surestryl; former developmental code name RS-2874), also known as fenocycline, as well as ''cis''-bisdehydrodoisynolic acid 7-methyl ether (BDDA ME), is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the d ...

doisynolic acid Doisynolic acid is a synthetic, nonsteroidal, orally active estrogen that was never marketed. The reaction of estradiol or estrone with potassium hydroxide, a strong base, results in doisynolic acid as a degradation product, which retains high ...

fenestrel Fenestrel ( INN, USAN) (developmental code name ORF-3858) is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen that was developed as a postcoital contraceptive in the 1960s but was never marketed. Synthesized by Ortho Pharmaceutical in 1961 and studied exten ...

methallenestril Methallenestril () (brand names Cur-men, Ercostrol, Geklimon, Novestrine, Vallestril), also known as methallenoestril () and as methallenestrol, as well as Horeau's acid, is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen and a derivative of allenolic acid and ...

* Selective

diarylpropionitrile Diarylpropionitrile (DPN), also known as 2,3-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)propionitrile (2,3-BHPPN), is a synthetic, nonsteroidal, and highly selective agonist of ERβ ( IC50 = 15 nM) that is used widely in scientific research to study the function o ...

ERB-196 ERB-196, also known as WAY-202196, is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen that acts as a highly selective agonist of the ERβ. It possesses 78-fold selectivity for the ERβ over the ERα. The drug was under development by Wyeth for the treatment ...

erteberel Erteberel (, ; former developmental code name LY-500307; also known as selective estrogen receptor beta agonist-1 or SERBA-1) is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen which acts as a selective ERβ agonist and is under development by Eli Lilly for ...

FERb 033 FERb 033 is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen that was synthesized in 2009 and is used in scientific research. It is a potent and selective ERβ agonist (Ki = 7.1 nM, EC50 = 4.8 nM), with 62-fold selectivity for the ERβ over the ERα. Se ...

GTx-758 GTx-758 (tentative brand name Capesaris) is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen which was under development by GTx, Inc. for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. As of 2016, it had completed two phase II clinical trials. Pharmacology Pha ...

prinaberel Prinaberel ( INN, USAN) (developmental code names ERB-041, WAY-202041) is a synthetic, nonsteroidal, and highly selective agonist of the ERβ subtype of the estrogen receptor. It is used in scientific research to elucidate the role of the ER ...

propylpyrazoletriol Propylpyrazoletriol (PPT) is a synthetic, nonsteroidal agonist of ERα with 400-fold selectivity over ERβ that is used widely in scientific research to study the function of ERα. Though originally thought to be highly selective for ERα, P ...

WAY-166818 WAY-166818 is a synthetic, nonsteroidal estrogen related to WAY-200070 which is used in scientific research. It acts as a highly selective full agonist of the ERβ, with 57- and 164-fold selectivity for the ERβ over the ERα in the rat and mous ...

WAY-214156 WAY-214156 is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen that acts as a highly selective agonist of the ERβ. It is 100-fold selective for the ERβ over the ERα with an IC50 of 4.2 nM (compare to estradiol with IC50 values of ~3–4 nM for b ...

* Others: ,

paroxypropione Paroxypropione, also known as paraoxypropiophenone, is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen which has been used medically as an antigonadotropin in Spain and Italy but appears to no longer be marketed. It was first synthesized in 1902. The antigona ...

, quadrosilan,

tetrahydrochrysene Tetrahydrochrysene (THC) may refer to: * (''R'',''R'')-Tetrahydrochrysene ((''R'',''R'')-THC) * (''S'',''S'')-Tetrahydrochrysene ((''S'',''S'')-THC) {{Short pages monitor