Lynestrenol

It is an oral preparation of the synthetic progestagen sharing various common activities with the natural hormone progesterone. It exerts a strong progestatinal influence on the endometrlum. Lynestrenol suppresses ovulation and menstruation for as long as the preparation is taken daily without interruption.

Indications: Polymenorrhoea, menorrhagia & metrorrhagia, amenorrhoea & oligomenorrhoea. Pre­menstrual syndrome, endometriosis, endometrial carcinoma. Benign breast disease. Suppression of menstruation, ovulation and ovulation pain; dysmen-orrhoea. Postponement of menstruation. Endome­trial hyperplasia.

Dosage: Polymenorrhoea : 5 mg daily on days 14-25. Menorrhagia : 10 mg daily for 10 days repeat for 3 cycles : 5 m on days 14-25. Endometriosis : 5-10 mg daily for 6 months. Dysmenorrhoea : 5 mg from 1-5th day for months. Postponement of menstruation : 5 mg daily 2 weeks prior to menstrua­tion if 1 week before then 10-15 mg daily. Endome­trial hyperplasia : 2.5-5 mg daily for 12-15 days per month.

Contra-Indications: Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy. Severe liver disease. Rotor syndrome & Dubin-Johnson syndrome. Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, herpes gestationis, jaundice of preg­ nancy, otosclerosis, sever pruritis or porphyria.

Special Precautions: It may cause chloasma, changes in parameters of liver function, carbohy­ drate metabolism & haemostasis, acne & hirsutism, circulatory disorders, depression.

Side-effects: Breakthrough bleeding or spotting, change in libido, nausea, G.I. disturbances, weight increase. Headache, migraine, dizziness, nervous­ ness, breast pain, oedema.

Drug Interaction: Failure of contraception with phenobarbitone, phenytoin, primidone, carba-mazepine, dichloralphenazone, rifampicin arid broad spectrum antibiotics. Combination with ethinyloestradiol increases insulin requirement and reduced efficacy of oral anticoagulants.