Equilin
Encyclopedia
Equilin is an estrogen
from horses with the chemical name 3-hydroxyestra-1,3,5,7-tetraen-17-one. Equilin is one of the estrogens present in the mixture of estrogens isolated from horse urine and marketed as Premarin
. Premarin became the most commonly used form of estrogen for hormone replacement therapy
in the United States of America. Estrone
is the major estrogen in Premarin (about 50%) and equilin is present as about 25% of the total. Estrone is a major estrogen that is normally found in women. Equilin is not normally present in women, so there has been interest in the effects of equilin on the human body.
The estrogens in Premarin are present mainly as "conjugates", modified chemical forms in which the active estrogen is coupled to another chemical group such as sulfate
. Estrone sulfate is usually the major form of estrogen in women. After being taken into a woman's body, the conjugated estrogens of Premarin are converted to the active unconjugated estrogens or excreted from the woman's body. Estrone can be converted to estradiol
, which is thought to be the major active estrogen in women.
Estrogen
Estrogens , oestrogens , or œstrogens, are a group of compounds named for their importance in the estrous cycle of humans and other animals. They are the primary female sex hormones. Natural estrogens are steroid hormones, while some synthetic ones are non-steroidal...
from horses with the chemical name 3-hydroxyestra-1,3,5,7-tetraen-17-one. Equilin is one of the estrogens present in the mixture of estrogens isolated from horse urine and marketed as Premarin
Premarin
Premarin is the commercial name for a compound cream of vaginally administered estrogens, consisting primarily of conjugated estrogens. Isolated from mares' urine , it is manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and has been marketed since 1942...
. Premarin became the most commonly used form of estrogen for hormone replacement therapy
Hormone replacement therapy (menopause)
Hormone replacement therapy is a system of medical treatment for surgically menopausal, perimenopausal and to a lesser extent postmenopausal women...
in the United States of America. Estrone
Estrone
Estrone is an estrogenic hormone secreted by the ovary as well as adipose tissue.Estrone is one of several natural estrogens, which also include estriol and estradiol...
is the major estrogen in Premarin (about 50%) and equilin is present as about 25% of the total. Estrone is a major estrogen that is normally found in women. Equilin is not normally present in women, so there has been interest in the effects of equilin on the human body.
The estrogens in Premarin are present mainly as "conjugates", modified chemical forms in which the active estrogen is coupled to another chemical group such as sulfate
Sulfate
In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate is a salt of sulfuric acid.-Chemical properties:...
. Estrone sulfate is usually the major form of estrogen in women. After being taken into a woman's body, the conjugated estrogens of Premarin are converted to the active unconjugated estrogens or excreted from the woman's body. Estrone can be converted to estradiol
Estradiol
Estradiol is a sex hormone. Estradiol is abbreviated E2 as it has 2 hydroxyl groups in its molecular structure. Estrone has 1 and estriol has 3 . Estradiol is about 10 times as potent as estrone and about 80 times as potent as estriol in its estrogenic effect...
, which is thought to be the major active estrogen in women.