title: Effect of an oral contraceptive on adrenal and ovarian androgenic steroids.
abstract: Seven women with hirsutism (five with polycystic ovarian disease, two with eumenorrheic hirsutism) were studied before and during the fourth and sixth cycles of oral contraceptive treatment (norethindrone/mestranol, 1 mg/0.05 mg). Plasma testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were measured before and during treatment. Testosterone was reduced 72%, androstenedione was reduced 68.5%, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was reduced 41.25% during therapy. Plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate normalized in all patients with pretreatment elevation of this steroid. Norethindrone/mestranol, 1 mg/0.05 mg is capable of suppressing both ovarian and adrenal androgens in hirsute women with modest elevation of these steroids.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000097:blood*; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000097:blood; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006628:Hirsutism / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008656:Mestranol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D013739:Testosterone; D000735:Androstenedione; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D008656:Mestranol; D009640:Norethindrone