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Post by ouchy on Aug 20, 2006 21:28:25 GMT -5
This is interesting... I found this info from the website www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/doc74.html"Antiprogestins are promising agents for endometriosis because they reduce both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Gestrinone is the standard agent, which may be comparable to GnRH agonists in reducing pain and have fewer menopausal symptoms. In one study bone density even increased slightly. Adverse effects of gestrinone include male hormone symptoms, such as acne, and possibly the development of unhealthy cholesterol levels. RU486, or mifepristone, is another antiprogestin. In one six-month study, mifepristone improved symptoms and reduced endometrial implants without causing menopausal side effects. Unfortunately, it is commonly known as the "abortion pill" because its antiprogestin effects can induce miscarriage, and so its use is limited."
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Post by ouchy on Aug 20, 2006 22:35:04 GMT -5
Taken from the website www.hcgresources.com/RU486.htm"RU-486, an anti-progestin, binds itself to progesterone receptors on the wall of the uterus and blocks the effect of the woman's natural progesterone. The inhibition of progesterone triggers the shedding of the uterine wall, much like a normal menstruation. The primary function of Progesterone, known as "the pregnancy hormone," is to relax the uterine muscle and increase the supply of blood so that sloughing of the endometrium lining of the uterus does not occur. The relaxed state of the muscle and the thick blood lining provides a comfortable environment for an embryo to implant and grow. During pregnancy, the progesterone hormone is produced in the placenta in large quantities in order to maintain the proper environment for the embryo to grow. Progesterone inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are hormones that induce uterine contraction. By inhibiting this activity, uterine contraction decreases and a new follicle is not released. Sharply decreasing levels of Progesterone just before a woman's period is what stimulates the sloughing of the uterine endometrium during menstruation in the case of no pregnancy. Because RU-486 competitively binds better than progesterone does to the receptor, progesterone is then not able to bind to its own receptor when it reaches the membrane of the uterine cells. RU-486 acts as an antagonist to Progesterone and in doing so actually blocks the action of progesterone. Molecules that mimic the action of a natural molecule are called "agonists;" those that oppose it are "antagonists."(2) In addition to its use in abortion, RU-486 is also showing promise as a potentially effective treatment for a range of serious diseases and medical conditions, many of which particularly affect women, including Endometriosis. In a report published in the June, 1998 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, investigators Kettel, Murphy, Morales and Yen presented preliminary findings on the treatment of Endometriosis with low-dose Mifepristone(3). In prior studies, authors had previously shown that treatment with Mifepristone, 50 to 100 mg daily, resulted in amenorrhea, anovulation, and symptomatic improvement in women with Endometriosis. In this current study, authors lowered the dose to 5 mg daily to determine whether clinical efficacy was altered without other adverse actions. After 6 months of therapy, Laparoscopy was performed. The results showed that pelvic pain improved in six of seven patients. Cyclic bleeding ceased in all patients, but four of the seven patients complained of irregular bleeding. Surgical staging at the conclusion of the study (five of seven patients) did not detect a change in Endometriosis. Investigators concluded that "Mifepristone, 5 mg daily, resulted in symptomatic improvement, but did not stabilize the endometrium. From our experience with three doses of Mifepristone, we would recommend a dose of 50 mg be used for continued investigations." In addition to its anti-progestin and anti-glucocoritcoid properties, RU-486 is a non-competitive anti-estrogen. As such, RU-486 blocks the capacity of the endometrial tissue to grow in response to estrogen, making Mifepristone a possible hormonal treatment for Endometriosis.(4)"
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