A progonadotropin, or hypergonadotropin, also known as a gonad stimulant, is a type of
drug
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...
which increases the
secretion 440px
Secretion is the movement of material from one point to another, such as a secreted chemical substance from a cell or gland. In contrast, excretion is the removal of certain substances or waste products from a cell or organism. The classical ...
of one or both of the major
gonadotropins,
luteinizing hormone (LH) and
follicle-stimulating hormone
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a gonadotropin, a glycoprotein polypeptide hormone. FSH is synthesized and secreted by the gonadotropic cells of the anterior pituitary gland and regulates the development, growth, pubertal maturation, an ...
(FSH).
This, in turn, results in increased function and maintenance of the
gonad
A gonad, sex gland, or reproductive gland is a mixed gland that produces the gametes and sex hormones of an organism. Female reproductive cells are egg cells, and male reproductive cells are sperm. The male gonad, the testicle, produces sper ...
s and increased gonadal
steroidogenesis of
sex hormones such as
androgens,
estrogens, and
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 body. ...
s. Progonadotropins are the functional opposites of
antigonadotropins. They have clinical applications in the treatment of
hypogonadism and
infertility
Infertility is the inability of a person, animal or plant to reproduce by natural means. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy adult, except notably among certain eusocial species (mostly haplodiploid insects). It is the normal state ...
.
[ ] Conversely, hypergonadotropic effects can occur as a
side effect of some drugs. Examples of progonadotropic drugs include
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
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 when administered in a
pulsatile (as opposed to continuous) manner,
antiestrogens such as
tamoxifen,
clomifene,
fulvestrant, and
aromatase inhibitors like
anastrozole,
and, only in men, pure
antiandrogens such as
flutamide,
bicalutamide,
enzalutamide, and
apalutamide.
References
External links
*
Fertility medicine
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