Megestrol caproate, abbreviated as MGC, is a

progestin A progestogen, also referred to as a progestagen, gestagen, or gestogen, is a type of medication which produces effects similar to those of the natural female sex hormone progesterone in the body. A progestin is a ''synthetic'' progestogen. Pro ...

medication which was never marketed. It was developed in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

in 2002. In animals, MGC shows 10-fold higher

progestogen Progestogens, also sometimes written progestagens or gestagens, are a class of natural or synthetic steroid hormones that bind to and activate the progesterone receptors (PR). Progesterone is the major and most important progestogen in the bod ...

ic activity compared to

progesterone Progesterone (P4) is an endogenous steroid and progestogen sex hormone involved in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and embryogenesis of humans and other species. It belongs to a group of steroid hormones called the progestogens and is the majo ...

when both are administered via

subcutaneous injection Subcutaneous administration is the insertion of medications beneath the skin either by injection or infusion. A subcutaneous injection is administered as a bolus into the subcutis, the layer of skin directly below the dermis and epidermis, c ...

. In addition, MGC has no

androgen An androgen (from Greek ''andr-'', the stem of the word meaning "man") is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This in ...

ic,

anabolic Anabolism () is the set of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units. These reactions require energy, known also as an endergonic process. Anabolism is the building-up aspect of metabolism, whereas catabolism is the breakin ...

, or

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 ac ...

ic activity. The medication was suggested as a potential

contraceptive Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth contr ...

and therapeutic agent.

Chemistry

Megestrol caproate, also known as megestrol 17α-caproate, as well as 17α-hydroxy-6-dehydro-6-methylprogesterone 17α-caproate or as 17α-hydroxy-6-methylpregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione 17α-caproate, is a

synthetic Synthetic things are composed of multiple parts, often with the implication that they are artificial. In particular, 'synthetic' may refer to: Science * Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis * Synthetic ...

pregnane Pregnane, also known as 17β-ethylandrostane or as 10β,13β-dimethyl-17β-ethylgonane, is a C21 steroid and, indirectly, a parent of progesterone. It is a parent hydrocarbon for two series of steroids stemming from 5α-pregnane (originally allop ...

steroid A steroid is a biologically active organic compound with four rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter membrane fluidity; and ...

and a

derivative In mathematics, the derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of the function value (output value) with respect to a change in its argument (input value). Derivatives are a fundamental tool of calculus. ...

and

17α-hydroxyprogesterone 17α-Hydroxyprogesterone (17α-OHP), also known as 17-OH progesterone (17-OHP), or hydroxyprogesterone (OHP), is an endogenous progestogen steroid hormone related to progesterone. It is also a chemical intermediate in the biosynthesis of many o ...

. It is the C17α caproate (hexanoate)

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ...

megestrol Megestrol (, ) is a progestin of the 17α-hydroxyprogesterone group which was never marketed and is not currently used clinically. Its acylated derivative megestrol acetate is also a progestogen, which, in contrast to megestrol itself, has been ...

. Closely related medications include

megestrol acetate Megestrol acetate (MGA), sold under the brand name Megace among others, is a progestin medication which is used mainly as an appetite stimulant to treat wasting syndromes such as cachexia.https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2014/ ...

(MGA; megestrol 17α-acetate),

acetomepregenol Acetomepregenol (ACM), also known as mepregenol diacetate and sold under the brand name Diamol, is a progestin medication which is used in Russia for the treatment of gynecological conditions and as a method of birth control in combination with ...

(megestrol 3β,17α-diacetate), and cymegesolate (megestrol 17α-acetate 3β-cypionate). In addition to MGA, analogues of MGC include chlormadinone caproate,

gestonorone caproate Gestonorone caproate, also known as gestronol hexanoate or norhydroxyprogesterone caproate and sold under the brand names Depostat and Primostat, is a progestin medication which is used in the treatment of enlarged prostate and cancer of the en ...

hydroxyprogesterone caproate Hydroxyprogesterone caproate (OHPC), sold under the brand names Proluton and Makena among others, is a progestin medication which is used to prevent preterm birth in pregnant women with a history of the condition and to treat gynecological diso ...

medroxyprogesterone caproate Medroxyprogesterone caproate (MPC) is a progestin and a progestogen ester which was synthesized in 1958 but was never marketed. It has been confused with hydroxyprogesterone caproate (OHPC) and medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in a number of ...

, and

methenmadinone caproate Methenmadinone caproate (MMC, also known as superlutin caproate) is a progestin medication which was developed in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s and was studied for potential use in combined injectable contraceptives in the 1970s but was never mark ...

References

{{Progesterone receptor modulators Abandoned drugs Caproate esters Dienes Enones Pregnanes Progestogen esters Progestogens Russian drugs