Quingestanol is a synthetic progestin hormone used as a contraceptive and for other medical purposes. It is used as a contraceptive by preventing ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary) and by thickening cervical mucus, which makes it difficult for sperm to reach the egg. It may also be used to treat abnormal bleeding from the uterus, endometriosis, and certain types of cancer. Quingestanol is available in both oral and injectable forms.
Quingestanol is a progestin, a type of female sex hormone. It is specifically a progestin of the 19-nortestosterone group, which means it is a synthetic steroid hormone similar to the natural hormone progesterone. Quingestanol itself was never marketed as a medication, but a related compound called quingestanol acetate was.
Quingestanol acetate is a prodrug, meaning it is a medication that is converted into another active drug in the body. In the case of quingestanol acetate, it is converted into norethisterone, another progestin. Quingestanol acetate was used in some birth control pills and other medications, but it is no longer widely used.