title: Plasma FSH, LH and prolactin levels in postmenopausal women undergoing cyclofenil treatment.
abstract: Ten postmenopausal women were studied in an attempt to identify the mechanism of action of cyclofenil, a non-steroidal anti-estrogen which has proved to be effective in the climacteric syndrome. A double-blind inter-patient clinical investigation was undertaken, with patients assigned randomly to treatment for 10 days with cyclofenil, 400 mg/day, or else conjugated estrogens, 1.25 mg/day, always given orally at 8 a.m. Serum FSH, LH and PRL levels were determined daily 2 days before, during and for 2 days after treatment. On the first and tenth day of treatment, five blood samples were drawn between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to ascertain if there was any drug-induced variation in the hormonal secretory patterns. Furthermore, endometrial biopsies of all patients were taken before and immediately after the 10-day treatment. In 5 patients, endometrial biopsies were repeated after 3-6 months of therapy with cyclofenil. The results indicate that cyclofenil has two opposing actions on the hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis, one estrogen-like, in that it depresses serum FSH levels, and the other antiestrogen-like, in that it depresses serum PRL levels. They also show that at both the peripheral and the central level cyclofenil is a drug of first choice for postmenopausal women at risk for endometrial and mammary neoplastic pathology.
mesh_terms: D002979:Climacteric; D003408:Cresols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003506:Cyclofenil / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003408:Cresols; D004966:Estrogens, Conjugated (USP); D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D003506:Cyclofenil