title: In vivo conversion of norethisterone to ethynyloestradiol in perimenopausal women.
abstract: The extent to which norethisterone is converted to ethynyloestradiol is controversial. To investigate the conversion of norethisterone to ethynyloestradiol we have used a double isotope infusion technique to measure the conversion in vivo. The use of acids or bases was precluded to prevent possible artefactual formation of phenolic metabolites of norethisterone. Transfer constants for the conversion of norethisterone to ethynyloestradiol in two perimenopausal women were 2.26 and 2.34% as measured in blood and 2.27 and 0.38% in urine. Results from this study show that a small but significant proportion of norethisterone is converted to ethynyloestradiol in vivo.
authors: Department of Chemical Pathology, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, London, England.
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Reed
authors: M S
authors: MS
authors: Ross
authors: L C
authors: LC
authors: Lai
authors: M W
authors: MW
authors: Ghilchik
authors: V H
authors: VH
authors: James
mesh_terms: D001711:Biotransformation; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D009640:Norethindrone