Progesterone (Ref: NSC 64377) |
![]() Last updated: 16/09/2025 |
![]() |
(Also known as: NSC 9704) |
|
![]() |
|
A naturally occurring hormone essential for for endometrial receptivity, embryo implantation, and the successful establishment of pregnancy | |
---|---|---|
|
Mainly used for the control of the oestrous cycle and may be used in conjunction with prostaglandin F2alpha or anologue | |
|
Dogs; Cats; Cattle; Sheep |
Approval status |
|
Approved - usually sipplied as a prescription only medicine to be authorised by a veterinarian (POM-V) | |
---|---|---|
|
Approved |
Chemical structure |
|
Progesterone exhibits stereoisomerism due to the presence of six chiral centres located at carbon atoms C8, C9, C10, C13, C14, and C17 within its cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene steroid nucleus. The naturally occurring form of progesterone is a single, specific stereoisomer, with the configuration (8S,9S,10R,13S,14S,17S). | |
---|---|---|
|
C₂₁H₃₀O₂ | |
|
CC(=O)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CCC4=CC(=O)CCC34C)C | |
|
CC(=O)[C@H]1CC[C@@H]2[C@@]1(CC[C@H]3[C@H]2CCC4=CC(=O)CC[C@]34C)C | |
|
RJKFOVLPORLFTN-LEKSSAKUSA-N | |
|
InChI=1S/C21H30O2/c1-13(22)17-6-7-18-16-5-4-14-12-15(23)8-10-20(14,2)19(16)9-11-21(17,18)3/h12,16-19H,4-11H2,1-3H3/t16-,17+,18-,19-,20-,21+/m0/s1 | |
|
Yes |
|
![]() |
Common Name | Relationship | Link |
---|---|---|
progesterone | - | ![]() |
General status |
|
- | |
---|---|---|
|
Steroid hormone | |
|
- | |
|
- | |
|
Natural | |
|
Progesterone suppresses the release of gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) and consequently luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary, inhibiting follicle maturation and thus, controlling the estrous cycle | |
|
[Pregnane X receptor, Agonist] | |
|
57-83-0 | |
|
200-350-6 | |
|
- | |
|
- | |
|
5994 | |
|
Genito urinary system and sex hormones: Pregnen (4) derivatives | |
|
QG03DA04 | |
|
No | |
|
- | |
|
314.5 | |
|
- | |
|
(8S,9S,10R,13S,14S,17S)-17-acetyl-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-one | |
|
pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione | |
|
- | |
|
Detected in water bodies | |
|
- | |
|
White powdery solid |
Commercial |
|
|
|||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
Current | |||
|
1929, first isolated; 1934, chemical synthesis achieved; 1950s, vet use begins | |||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Usually formulated as intravaginal inserts | |||
|
The commercial production of progesterone typically begins with plant-derived sterols, such as diosgenin, extracted from species like Dioscorea (wild yam). These sterols undergo chemical transformation through a multi-step process that includes oxidation, isomerisation, and side-chain cleavage, converting the plant sterol into pregnenolone, a key intermediate. Pregnenolone is then oxidised at the C3 and C20 positions to form the characteristic 3-keto-4-ene structure of progesterone. In some advanced methods, microbial biotransformation using engineered strains of Mycolicibacterium or Streptomyces is employed to enhance yield and stereoselectivity, offering a more sustainable alternative to purely chemical synthesis. The final product is purified through solvent extraction and crystallisation., | |||
|
A rough estimate based on similar processes suggest 8.5 to 18.5 kg CO₂e per kg of progesterone produced is emitted. This takes into account raw material extraction, chemical synthesis & processing, purification & crystallisation, packaging & distribution. Data will vary depending on whether the process uses green chemistry principles, the energy source (renewable vs fossil fuel) as well as the geographic location and regulatory standards. |
|
![]() |
|
|
|
|
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
7.3 | F4 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 4 = Verified data |
Low | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
121 | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
7.41 X 1003 | Calculated | - | |||||||
|
3.87 | f4 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 4 = Verified data |
High | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
- | |||||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
Metabolites have been detected extensively in water bodies |
Degradation |
|
|
|
|
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
As this parameter is not normally measured directly, a surrogate measure is used: ‘Photochemical oxidative DT₅₀’. Where data is available, this can be found in the Fate Indices section below. | ||||||||||
|
- |
Soil adsorption and mobility |
|
|
|
|
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
ND | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 3 = Unverified data of known source |
Non-mobile | |||||||
|
8248 | ||||||||||
|
USEPA data Koc range 1040-15000 mL g⁻¹, Soils=5 | ||||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
- |
Fate indices |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
- | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
- | - |
Known metabolites |
None
|
![]() |
Terrestrial ecotoxicology |
|
|
|
|
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | |||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
- | |||||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
- | |||||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
|
- | - | - | |||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - |
Aquatic ecotoxicology |
|
|
|
|
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
0.04 | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Oncorhynchus mykiss LOEC3 = Unverified data of known source |
Moderate | ||||||||
|
4.0 | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Danio rerio NOEC3 = Unverified data of known source |
Moderate | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
26.0 | F4 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) Daphnia magna4 = Verified data |
Low | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | - | - |
|
- | - | - | |||
|
- | - | - |
|
![]() |
General |
|
|
|
|
||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
- | - | - | ||||||||
|
|
- | |||||||||
|
- | ||||||||||
|
Majority is absorbed by the animal. Remainder, prior to excretion in faeces, is extensively metabolized | F3 F = U.S. EPA ECOTOX database / U.S. EPA pesticide fate database / Miscellaneous WHO documents / FAO data, IPCS INCHEM data (US EPA Databases Related to Pesticide Risk Assessment ) 3 = Unverified data of known source |
- |
Health issues |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
No information available |
Handling issues |
|
|
|||
---|---|---|---|---|
|
No information available | |||
|
- | |||
|
- | |||
|
- | |||
|
- | |||
|
Store below 30 DegC |
|
![]() |
|
|
||
---|---|---|---|
|
progesterone | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- | ||
|
- |
Record last updated: | 16/09/2025 |
Contact: | aeru@herts.ac.uk |
Please cite as: | Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. and Green, A. (2016) An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4), 1050-1064. DOI: 10.1080/10807039.2015.1133242 |