Esterified estrogens
Esterified estrogens (EEs), sold under the brand names Estratab and Menest among others, is an estrogen medication which is used hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms and low sex hormone levels in women, to treat breast cancer in both women and men, and to treat prostate cancer in men. It is formulated alone or in combination with methyltestosterone. It is taken by mouth.
Estrone sulfate, the primary active component in esterified estrogens (constitutes about 75 to 85% of total content). | |
Equilin sulfate, the second most major active component in esterified estrogens (constitutes about 6 to 16% of total content). | |
| Combination of | |
|---|---|
| Sodium estrone sulfate | Estrogen |
| Sodium equilin sulfate | Estrogen |
| Clinical data | |
| Trade names | Estratab, Menest, others |
| Other names | Esterified oestrogens; EEs; Esterified equine estrogens; Esterified equine oestrogens; EEEs |
| Routes of administration | By mouth |
| Drug class | Estrogen |
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| Legal status | |
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| Identifiers | |
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| DrugBank | |
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Side effects of EEs include nausea, breast tension, edema, and breakthrough bleeding among others. It is an estrogen, or an agonist of the estrogen receptors, the biological target of estrogens like estradiol. EEs are a prodrug mainly of estradiol and to a lesser extent of equilin.
EEs were introduced for medical use by 1970. They are available in only a few countries, such as Chile and the United States. They have also been marketed in Argentina and Switzerland in the past.