biology

Prasterone enanthate

Prasterone enanthate is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Prasterone enanthate rather than just read about it. In short: Prasterone enanthate, also known as dehydroepiandrosterone enanthate (DHEA-E) and sold in combination with estradiol valerate under the brand name Gynodian Depot among others, is a weak androgen, estrogen, and neurosteroid medication which is used as a component of menopausal hormone therapy to treat menopausal symptoms in women. It is available only as an injectable preparation in combination with estradiol valerat…

Key takeaways

Prasterone enanthate belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Prasterone enanthate to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Prasterone enanthate from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Prasterone enanthate, also known as dehydroepiandrosterone enanthate (DHEA-E) and sold in combination with estradiol valerate under the brand name Gynodian Depot among others, is a weak androgen, estrogen, and neurosteroid medication which is used as a component of menopausal hormone therapy to treat menopausal symptoms in women. It is available only as an injectable preparation in combination with estradiol valerate. The medication is given by injection into muscle typically once every 4 weeks. Prasterone enanthate is a synthetic androgen, estrogen, and neurosteroid. It is a steroid ester and a long-lasting prodrug of prasterone (dehydroepiandrosterone; DHEA) in the body. Prasterone is a naturally occurring prohormone of androgens and estrogens and hence is an agonist of the androgen and estrogen receptors, the respective biological targets of androgens like testosterone and estrogens like estradiol. Prasterone also has a variety of activities of its own, including neurosteroid and other activities. An injection of prasterone enanthate has a duration of action in terms of elevated prasterone levels of about 18 days. The combination of estradiol valerate and prasterone enanthate was developed as early as 1966 and was introduced for medical use in 1975. The formulation is marketed widely throughout Europe, and is also available in several Latin American countries and in Egypt. It is not available in any predominantly English-speaking countries.

Medical uses The combination of estradiol valerate and prasterone enanthate is used in menopausal hormone therapy to treat menopausal symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women. Estradiol valerate serves as an estrogen in the preparation, while prasterone enanthate is intended to serve as a weak androgen. It is thought that the inclusion of prasterone enanthate in the formulation may provide additional psychotropic benefits.

Available forms

Prasterone enanthate is available only as a combination formulation of 4 mg estradiol valerate and 200 mg prasterone enanthate in oil for depot intramuscular injection.

Side effects

Prasterone enanthate, in combination with estradiol valerate at the dosages used clinically, has no masculinizing side effects. This is in contrast to combinations of estrogens with other androgens, such as testosterone esters. The following is a list of possible side-effects that may occur in medicines that contain Estradiol Valerate / Prasterone Enanthate. This is not a comprehensive list. These side-effects are possible, but do not always occur. Some of the side-effects may be rare but serious. Consult your doctor if you observe any of the following side-effects, especially if they do not go away. Dysmenorrhea Vaginitis Ovarian cancer Endometrial hyperplasia Endometrial cancer Breast cancer Stroke Increase in blood pressure Pulmonary embolism Nausea Vomiting Abdominal cramps Bloating Cholestatic jaundice Pruritus Rash Dizziness Estradiol Valerate / Prasterone Enanthate may also cause side-effects not listed here.

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

Pharmacokinetics

The pharmacokinetics of prasterone enanthate have been assessed in a number of studies. Prasterone enanthate is a prodrug of prasterone in the body. It is completely hydrolyzed into prasterone and heptanoic acid (enanthic acid) following absorption from the tissue depot after intramuscular injection. Levels of DHEA peak at about 9 ng/mL within 1 to 4 days of an injection of prasterone enanthate. Subsequently, DHEA levels return to baseline by about 18 days following the injection. Prasterone enanthate has an elimination half-life of about 9 days. The plasma half-life of DHEA/prasterone enanthate following an intravenous injection is about 44 minutes. The half-lives of DHEA metabolites range up to 3.6 days. Within 30 days, 91% of a dose of prasterone enanthate is eliminated. Approximately 94% is excreted in urine and 6% in feces. Prasterone enanthate is eliminated mainly in the form of metabolites and conjugates.

Chemistry

Prasterone enanthate, also known as 5-dehydroepiandrosterone 3β-enanthate or as androst-5-en-3β-ol-17-one 3β-heptanoate, is a synthetic androstane steroid and the C3β heptanoate (enanthate) ester of prasterone (5-dehydroepiandrosterone).

History

Prasterone enanthate was patented by Schering in 1968 and 1971. The combination of estradiol valerate and prasterone enanthate was developed and marketed by Schering, was first tested clinically as early as 1966, was first described in the scientific literature in 1972, and was first introduced for medical use in April 1975.

Society and culture

Brand names The major brand name of the combination of estradiol valerate and prasterone enanthate is Gynodian Depot. Other brand names of this formulation include Binodian Depot, Cidodian Depot, Klimax, and Supligol NF.

Availability The combination of estradiol valerate and prasterone enanthate is marketed widely throughout Europe, and is also available in several Latin American countries and in Egypt. In Europe, it is available in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, and Switzerland. In Latin America, it is available in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela. The medication is not available in any predominantly English-speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa.

See also Estradiol valerate/prasterone enanthate

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Prasterone enanthate

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Prasterone enanthate claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Prasterone enanthate before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Prasterone enanthate ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Prasterone enanthate

In research: Prasterone enanthate appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Prasterone enanthate in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Prasterone enanthate is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Androgen esters, Androgens, Androstanes, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Prasterone enanthate outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Prasterone enanthate in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Prasterone enanthate means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Prasterone enanthate out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Prasterone enanthate in simple terms?

Why does Prasterone enanthate matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Prasterone enanthate?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Prasterone enanthate.