Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 27, 2026

Promestriene

Promestriene, also known as estradiol 3-propyl 17β-methyl diether, is a synthetic estrogen which is used topically in a 1% cream formulation for the treatment of vaginal atrophy in women. It is the 3-propyl and 17β-methyl diether of estradiol and does not appear to convert into estradiol in the body. Promestriene is minimally absorbed and appears to have negligible systemic estrogenic effect. The drug has been described as a tropic agent and antiseborrheic. It has not been found to be effective in the treatment of pattern hair loss or other conditions of cutaneous androgenization. Promestriene was first introduced in France in 1974 and has been marketed in 34 countries worldwide. It has been used in millions of women.

Last revised
Jul 27, 2026
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Promestriene
Clinical data
Trade namesColpotrofin, Colpotrophine, Delipoderm
Other namesEstradiol 3-propyl 17β-methyl diether; 17β-Methoxy-3-propoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-triene
Routes of
administration		Topical
Drug classEstrogen; Estrogen ester
ATC code
Identifiers
  • (8R,9S,13S,14S)-17-methoxy-13-methyl-3-propoxy-6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthrene
CAS Number
PubChem CID
ChemSpider
UNII
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.049.401
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC22H32O2
Molar mass328.496 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • CCCOc1ccc2c(c1)CC[C@@H]3[C@@H]2CC[C@]4([C@H]3CCC4OC)C
  • InChI=1S/C22H32O2/c1-4-13-24-16-6-8-17-15(14-16)5-7-19-18(17)11-12-22(2)20(19)9-10-21(22)23-3/h6,8,14,18-21H,4-5,7,9-13H2,1-3H3/t18-,19-,20+,21?,22+/m1/s1 ☒N
  • Key:IUWKNLFTJBHTSD-QIKJAYGVSA-N ☒N
  (verify)

Promestriene (INNTooltip International Nonproprietary Name) (brand names Colpotrofin, Colpotrophine, Delipoderm), also known as estradiol 3-propyl 17β-methyl diether, is a synthetic estrogen which is used topically in a 1% cream formulation for the treatment of vaginal atrophy in women.12345 It is the 3-propyl and 17β-methyl diether of estradiol and does not appear to convert into estradiol in the body.16 Promestriene is minimally absorbed and appears to have negligible systemic estrogenic effect.1 The drug has been described as a tropic agent and antiseborrheic.2 It has not been found to be effective in the treatment of pattern hair loss or other conditions of cutaneous androgenization.78 Promestriene was first introduced in France in 1974 and has been marketed in 34 countries worldwide.1 It has been used in millions of women.1

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Del Pup L, Di Francia R, Cavaliere C, Facchini G, Giorda G, De Paoli P, Berretta M (November 2013). "Promestriene, a specific topic estrogen. Review of 40 years of vaginal atrophy treatment: is it safe even in cancer patients?". Anti-Cancer Drugs. 24 (10): 989–998. doi:10.1097/CAD.0b013e328365288e. PMID 24080714. S2CID 3458356.
  2. Ganellin CR, Triggle DJ (21 November 1996). Dictionary of Pharmacological Agents. CRC Press. pp. 1671–. ISBN 978-0-412-46630-4.
  3. Index Nominum 2000: International Drug Directory. Taylor & Francis. January 2000. pp. 1248, 1266, 1318, 1557. ISBN 978-3-88763-075-1.
  4. William Andrew Publishing (22 October 2013). Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition. Elsevier. pp. 270–271. ISBN 978-0-8155-1856-3.
  5. Muller (19 June 1998). European Drug Index: European Drug Registrations, Fourth Edition. CRC Press. pp. 289, 33 2. ISBN 978-3-7692-2114-5.
  6. Santos I, Clissold S (September 2010). "Urogenital disorders associated with oestrogen deficiency: the role of promestriene as topical oestrogen therapy". Gynecological Endocrinology. 26 (9): 644–651. doi:10.3109/09513591003767948. PMID 20374067. S2CID 243338.
  7. Orfanos CE, Montagna W, Stüttgen G (6 December 2012). Hair Research: Status and Future Aspects; Proceedings of the First International Congress on Hair Research, Hamburg, March 13th–16, 1979. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 553–. ISBN 978-3-642-81650-5.
  8. Beylot C (1 October 1998). "Menopause, Skin, and Cosmetology". In Baran R, Maibach HI (eds.). Textbook of Cosmetic Dermatology. CRC Press. pp. 493–. ISBN 978-1-85317-478-0.