Megestrol caproate, abbreviated as MGC, is a progestin medication which was never marketed.[1][2] It was developed in Russia in 2002.[1] In animals, MGC shows 10-fold higher progestogenic activity compared to progesterone when both are administered via subcutaneous injection.[1] In addition, MGC has no androgenic, anabolic, or estrogenic activity.[1] The medication was suggested as a potential contraceptive and therapeutic agent.[1]
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| Other names | MGC; Megestrol hexanoate; Megestrol 17α-caproate; 17α-Hydroxy-6-dehydro-6-methylprogesterone 17α-caproate; 17α-Hydroxy-6-methylpregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione 17α-caproate |
| Drug class | Progestin; Progestogen; Progestogen ester |
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| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C28H40O4 |
| Molar mass | 440.624 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
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Chemistry
Megestrol caproate, also known as megestrol 17α-caproate, as well as 17α-hydroxy-6-dehydro-6-methylprogesterone 17α-caproate or as 17α-hydroxy-6-methylpregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione 17α-caproate, is a synthetic pregnane steroid and a derivative of progesterone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone.[1][2] It is the C17α caproate (hexanoate) ester of megestrol.[1][2] Closely related medications include megestrol acetate (MGA; megestrol 17α-acetate), acetomepregenol (megestrol 3β,17α-diacetate), and cymegesolate (megestrol 17α-acetate 3β-cypionate).[3][4][5][6] In addition to MGA, analogues of MGC include chlormadinone caproate, gestonorone caproate, hydroxyprogesterone caproate, medroxyprogesterone caproate, and methenmadinone caproate.