Estropipate

Estropipate, also known as piperazine estrone sulfate and sold under the brand names Harmogen, Improvera, Ogen, Ortho-Est, and Sulestrex among others, is an estrogen medication which is used mainly in menopausal hormone therapy in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. It is a salt of estrone sulfate and piperazine, and is transformed into estrone and estradiol in the body. It is taken by mouth.

Medical uses
Estropipate is used to:


 * Alleviate symptoms of menopause as menopausal hormone therapy
 * Treat some types of infertility
 * Treat some conditions leading to underdevelopment of female sexual characteristics
 * Treat vaginal atrophy
 * Treat some types of breast cancer (particularly in men and postmenopausal women)
 * Treat prostate cancer
 * Prevent osteoporosis

Available forms
Estropipate was available in the form of 0.75, 1.5, 3, and 6 mg oral tablets and 1.5 mg/gram vaginal cream. Estropipate is no longer available in the United States.

Pharmacodynamics
Estropipate is a prodrug of estrone and estradiol. Hence, it is an estrogen, or an agonist of the estrogen receptors.

Pharmacokinetics
Estropipate is hydrolyzed into estrone in the body. Estrone can then be transformed into estradiol by 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

History
Estropipate was introduced for medical use by Abbott in 1968. It was approved by the FDA in the United States in 1991.

Generic names
Estropipate is the generic name of the drug and its INN, USAN, and BAN.

Brand names
Estropipate was marketed under the brand names Genoral, Harmogen, Improvera, Ogen, Ortho-Est, and Sulestrex among others.

Availability
Estropipate has been discontinued in the United States. In the past, estropipate has also been marketed in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Australia, South Africa, Mexico, and Indonesia.