Biomaterial Database

Biological activity of oral contraceptives. 1986

P G Stubblefield

Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

The synthetic steroid hormones used in oral contraceptives differ in their effects and potencies. Because all low-dose preparations currently sold in the United States contain the same estrogen, the differences among progestin components are of clinical significance. Synthetic progestins may have progestational, estrogenic, antiestrogenic, and androgenic effects; all have antiovulatory effects. Means for measuring the different effects of steroid hormones, ranging from animal assays to human studies, are reviewed. The problems of generalizing from effects of one steroid in an animal system to combination steroids in the human system are emphasized. Our evolving concept of desirable and undesirable effects of progestins is reviewed, the concept of minimal effective dose introduced, and a conclusion suggested from the limited human data available. A plan for the selection of contraceptive steroids for human use is proposed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D003276	Contraceptives, Oral	Compounds, usually hormonal, taken orally in order to block ovulation and prevent the occurrence of pregnancy. The hormones are generally estrogen or progesterone or both.	Low-Dose Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptive,Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptives, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Phasic,Contraceptive, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptive, Oral,Contraceptives, Low-Dose Oral,Contraceptives, Phasic Oral,Low Dose Oral Contraceptive,Low-Dose Oral Contraceptives,Oral Contraceptive, Low-Dose,Oral Contraceptives, Low Dose,Phasic Oral Contraceptives
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D014486	United States Food and Drug Administration	An agency of the PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE concerned with the overall planning, promoting, and administering of programs pertaining to maintaining standards of quality of foods, drugs, therapeutic devices, etc.	Food and Drug Administration (U.S.),USFDA,Food and Drug Administration,United States Food, Drug Administration