Ethinylestradiol/drospirenone/prasterone (EE/DRSP/DHEA), known under developmental code names like Androgen Restored Contraceptive (ARC), Female Balance Pill, Pill-Plus, and Triple Oral Contraceptive (Triple OC), is a combination of ethinylestradiol (EE), an estrogen, drospirenone (DRSP), a progestin, antimineralocorticoid, and antiandrogen, and prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone; DHEA), an androgen prohormone and neurosteroid, which is under development for use as a birth control pill to prevent pregnancy in women.[1] Clinical studies of this formulation have been conducted and published.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Estrogens and progestogens suppress testosterone levels in women, and the addition of 50 mg prasterone, an oral prohormone of testosterone, has been found to restore total testosterone levels to normal levels.[3][4][6] However, free testosterone levels, although higher with the addition of prasterone, remain significantly lower than usual despite prasterone inclusion.[3][4][6]
Combination of | |
---|---|
Ethinylestradiol | Estrogen |
Drospirenone | Progestogen; Progestin; Antimineralocorticoid; Antiandrogen |
Prasterone | Androgen; Anabolic steroid; Androgen prohormone; Neurosteroid |
Clinical data | |
Other names | EE/DRSP/DHEA; Androgen Restored Contraceptive; ARC; Female Balance Pill; Pill-Plus; Triple Oral Contraceptive; Triple OC |
Routes of administration | By mouth |
Drug class | Estrogen; Progestin; Progestogen; Antimineralocorticoid; Androgen; Anabolic steroid |
Legal status | |
Legal status |
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Drospirenone/Estradiol/Prasterone - ANI Pharmaceuticals/Pantarhei Bioscience - AdisInsight".
- ^ Zimmerman Y, Wouters W, Coelingh Bennink HJ (June 2013). "The bioequivalence of the contraceptive steroids ethinylestradiol and drospirenone is not affected by co-administration of dehydroepiandrosterone". Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 18 (3): 206–14. doi:10.3109/13625187.2013.777831. PMID 23550808. S2CID 207523583.
- ^ a b c Zimmerman Y, Coelingh Bennink HJ, Wouters W, Ebes F, Fauser BC (December 2013). "The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dehydroepiandrosterone during use of an ethinylestradiol- and drospirenone-containing oral contraceptive". Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care. 18 (6): 489–500. doi:10.3109/13625187.2013.822061. PMID 23944295. S2CID 27326167.
- ^ a b c Zimmerman Y, Foidart JM, Pintiaux A, Minon JM, Fauser BC, Cobey K, Coelingh Bennink HJ (February 2015). "Restoring testosterone levels by adding dehydroepiandrosterone to a drospirenone containing combined oral contraceptive: I. Endocrine effects". Contraception. 91 (2): 127–33. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2014.11.002. hdl:1893/21273. PMID 25604900.
- ^ Zimmerman Y, Foidart JM, Pintiaux A, Minon JM, Fauser BC, Cobey K, Coelingh Bennink HJ (February 2015). "Restoring testosterone levels by adding dehydroepiandrosterone to a drospirenone containing combined oral contraceptive: II. Clinical effects". Contraception. 91 (2): 134–42. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2014.11.008. hdl:1893/21274. PMID 25496917.
- ^ a b c Coelingh Bennink HJ, Zimmerman Y, Laan E, Termeer HM, Appels N, Albert A, Fauser BC, Thijssen JH, van Lunsen RH (November 2017). "Maintaining physiological testosterone levels by adding dehydroepiandrosterone to combined oral contraceptives: I. Endocrine effects". Contraception. 96 (5): 322–329. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2016.06.022. PMID 27393080.
- ^ van Lunsen RH, Zimmerman Y, Coelingh Bennink HJ, Termeer HM, Appels N, Fauser BC, Laan E (July 2018). "Maintaining physiologic testosterone levels during combined oral contraceptives by adding dehydroepiandrosterone: II. Effects on sexual function. A phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study". Contraception. 98 (1): 56–62. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2018.02.014. PMID 29490289.
External links
edit- Drospirenone/ethinylestradiol/prasterone - ANI Pharmaceuticals/Pantarhei Bioscience
- Androgen Restored Contraception (ARC) | Pantarhei Bioscience