Brands, Medical Use, Clinical Data
Drug Category
- Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic
- Progestins
Dosage Forms
Brands / Synonyms
Anhydrohydroxynorprogesterone; Anovulatorio; Anovule; Aygestin; Binovum; Brevicon; Brevinor; Brevinor 21; Brevinor 28; Brevinor-1 21; Brevinor-1 28; Camila; Ciclovulan; Combipatch; Conceplan; Conludaf; Conludag; Demulen; ENT; Errin; Estrinor; Estrostep FE; Ethinylnortestosterone; Ethynylmortestosterone; Ethynylnortestosterone; Femhrt; Gencept; Genora; Gestest; Jenest; Jenest-28; Junel; Leena; Levlen; Loestrin; Menzol; Microneth; Micronett; Micronor; Micronovum; Milli; Mini-Pe; Mini-Pill; Minovlar; Modicon; N.E.E.; Necon; Nelova; Neocon; NET; Nodiol; Nor-Q.D.; NOR-QD; Nora-BE; Noraethisteronum; Noralutin; Norcept; Norcept-E; Norcolut; Nordette; Noresthisterone; Norethadrone; Norethin; Norethin 1/35 E; Norethin 1/50 M; Norethindrone Acetate; Norethindrone Norethisterone; Norethisteron; Norethisterone; Norethisterone [Progestins]; Norethisteronum [Inn-Latin]; Norethyndron; Norethynodron; Norethynodrone; Noretisterona [Inn-Spanish]; Noretisterone [Dcit]; Norfor; Norgestin; Noriday; Noriday 28; Norimin; Norinyl; Norlestrin; Norlutate; Norluten; Norlutin; Norluton; Normapause; Norpregneninlone; Norpregneninolone; Norpregneninotone; Nortrel 7 / 7 / 7; Orlest; Ortho 1 35; Ortho 7 7 7; Ortho Micronor; Ortho-Novum; Ortho-Novum 1 35; Ortho-Novum 1 50; Ortho-Novum 7 7 7; Ovcon; Ovral; Ovrette; Ovysmen; Ovysmen 0.5 35; Ovysmen 1 35; Palonyl; Perovex; Primolut N; Primolut-N; Proluteasi; Synphase; Synphasic 28; Tri-Levlen; TRI-Norinyl; Triella; Trinovum; Trinovum 21; Utovlan; Utovlar
Indications
For use as an oral contraceptive in the prevention of pregnancy.
Pharmacology
Norethindrone is a synthetic oral progestin. It is used for contraception or to treat such conditions as secondary amenorrhea, abnormal uterine bleeding, and endometriosis. As an oral contraceptive, norethindrone is available as either a single agent or in combination with an estrogen.
Mechanism of Action
Progestins diffuse freely into target cells and bind to the progesterone receptor. Target cells include the female reproductive tract, the mammary gland, the hypothalamus, and the pituitary. Once bound to the receptor, progestins slow the frequency of release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus and blunt the pre-ovulatory LH surge.
Absorption
Absolute oral bioavailability approximately 64%
Toxicity
Not Available
Biotrnasformation / Drug Metabolism
Hepatic
Contraindications
Progestin-only oral contraceptives (POPs) should not be used by women who currently have the following
conditions:
- Known or suspected pregnancy
- Known or suspected carcinoma of the breast
- Undiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding
- Hypersensitivity to any component of this product
- Benign or malignant liver tumors
- Acute liver disease
Drug Interactions
The effectiveness of progestin-only pills is reduced by hepatic enzyme-inducing drugs such as the anticonvulsants
phenytoin, carbamazepine, and barbiturates, and the antituberculosis drug rifampin. No significant interaction has
been found with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
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