Dimestrol (brand names Depot-Cyren, Depot-Oestromon), also known as dianisylhexene, 4,4'-dimethoxy-α,α'-diethylstilbene, diethylstilbestrol dimethyl ether, and dimethoxydiethylstilbestrol, is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen of the stilbestrol group which is related to

diethylstilbestrol Diethylstilbestrol (DES), also known as stilbestrol or stilboestrol, is a nonsteroidal estrogen medication, which is presently rarely used. In the past, it was widely used for a variety of indications, including pregnancy support for those with ...

. It has been used clinically as a hormonal therapy in cases of delayed female puberty, hypogonadism, menopausal, and postmenopausal symptoms. It is known to induce the development of female

secondary sexual characteristic A secondary sex characteristic is a physical characteristic of an organism that is related to or derived from its sex, but not directly part of its reproductive system. In humans, these characteristics typically start to appear during puberty ...

s in the case of female

delayed puberty Delayed puberty is when a person lacks or has incomplete development of specific sexual characteristics past the usual age of onset of puberty. The person may have no physical or hormone, hormonal signs that puberty has begun. In the United States ...

hypogonadism Hypogonadism means diminished functional activity of the human gonad, gonads—the testicles or the ovary, ovaries—that may result in diminished biosynthesis, production of sex hormones. Low androgen (e.g., testosterone) levels are referred t ...

. The drug has also been used as a growth promoter in

livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

. DES is a known endocrine disrupting chemical. Molecularly, it is known to increase the risk of aneuploidy via interference with microtubule assembly. Prior to the 1950s, DES was widely prescribed to pregnant women to prevent miscarriage and preterm labor. A study released in the 1950s found that women who were exposed to DES were at increased risk for cervical and vaginal clear cell adenocarcinoma. Shortly after this finding, the FDA discouraged the prescription of DES to pregnant women. Children were also affected by the maternal use of DES during their gestation. Study findings showed that daughters were more likely to develop fertility complications such as premature delivery, neonatal death, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, infertility, and preeclampsia. DES exposed sons may also experience genital abnormalities but no conclusive increased risk of infertility. In the case of suspected or known exposure to DES before, women are encouraged to receive pelvic examinations, PAP tests, biopsies, and breast examinations. Men should receive routine examinations from their physician in the case of suspected or potential exposure. The medication has a long duration of action of 6 weeks given by

intramuscular injection Intramuscular injection, often abbreviated IM, is the medical injection, injection of a substance into a muscle. In medicine, it is one of several methods for parenteral, parenteral administration of medications. Intramuscular injection may be ...

References

{{Estrogen receptor modulators Abandoned drugs Estrogen ethers Stilbenoids Synthetic estrogens

See also

References