Chemical compound
Pharmaceutical compound
Melengestrol acetate Trade names Heifermax, MGA Other names MGA; MLA; MLGA; Melengesterol acetate; Methylsuperlutin; U-21240; BDH-1921; 17α-Acetoxy-16-methylene-6-methyl-6-dehydroprogesterone; 17α-Acetoxy-16-methylene-6-methylpregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione Drug class Progestogen ; Progestin ; Progestogen ester ATC code
[(8R ,9S ,10R ,13S ,14S ,17R )-17-acetyl-6,10,13-trimethyl-16-methylidene-3-oxo-1,2,8,9,11,12,14,15-octahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl] acetate
CAS Number PubChem CID DrugBank ChemSpider UNII KEGG CompTox Dashboard (EPA ) ECHA InfoCard 100.018.964 Formula C 25 H 32 O 4 Molar mass 396.527 g·mol−1 3D model (JSmol )
O=C4\C=C3\C(=C/[C@@H]1[C@H](CC[C@@]2([C@](OC(=O)C)(C(=C)\C[C@@H]12)C(=O)C)C)[C@@]3(C)CC4)C
InChI=1S/C25H32O4/c1-14-11-19-20(23(5)9-7-18(28)13-21(14)23)8-10-24(6)22(19)12-15(2)25(24,16(3)26)29-17(4)27/h11,13,19-20,22H,2,7-10,12H2,1,3-6H3/t19-,20+,22+,23-,24+,25+/m1/s1
Key:UDKABVSQKJNZBH-DWNQPYOZSA-N
Melengestrol acetate (MLGA ), sold under the brand names Heifermax and MGA among others, is a progestin medication which is used in animal reproduction .[ 1] [ 2] It is not approved for use in humans, and is instead used as an implantable contraceptive for captive animals in zoos and other refuges,[ 3] and is also used as a feed additive to promote growth in cattle , a purpose it is licensed for in the United States and Canada .[ 4]
Animal reproduction [ edit ]
MLGA is used in animal reproduction .[ 3] [ 4]
MLGA is a progestogen , and hence is an agonist of the progesterone receptor .[ 5] It has been found to possess 73% of the affinity of progesterone for the progesterone receptor in rhesus monkey uterus .[ 5]
MLGA, also known as 17α-acetoxy-16-methylene-6-dehydro-6-methylprogesterone or as 17α-acetoxy-16-methylene-6-methylpregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione, is a synthetic pregnane steroid and a derivative of progesterone .[ 1] [ 2] It is specifically a derivative of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone with a methyl group at the C6 position, a methylene group at the C16 position, a double bond between the C6 and C7 positions, and an acetate ester at the C17α position.[ 1] [ 2] As such, it is also a derivative of 16-methylene-17α-hydroxyprogesterone acetate . MLGA is the acetate ester of melengestrol , which in contrast, has never been marketed.[ 1] Analogues of MLGA include other 17α-hydroxyprogesterone derivatives such as chlormadinone acetate , chlormethenmadinone acetate , cyproterone acetate , delmadinone acetate , hydroxyprogesterone caproate , medroxyprogesterone acetate , megestrol acetate , methenmadinone acetate , and osaterone acetate .[ 1] The only structural difference between MLGA and megestrol acetate is the presence of the C16 methylene group in the former.[ 1]
Society and culture [ edit ]
In November 2024, the FDA approved melengestrol acetate Type A liquid medicated article (brand name MEL 500) for increased rate of weight gain, improved feed efficiency and suppression of estrus (heat) in heifers fed in confinement for slaughter; and for suppression of estrus (heat) in heifers intended for breeding.[ 6] [ 7]
Melengestrol acetate is the generic name of the drug and its USAN Tooltip United States Adopted Name and USP Tooltip United States Pharmacopeia .[ 1] [ 2] Melengestrol is the INN Tooltip International Nonproprietary Name and BAN Tooltip British Approved Name of the unesterified free alcohol form.[ 1] [ 2]
MLGA is marketed under the brand names Heifermax and MGA among others.[ 1] [ 2]
^ a b c d e f g h i Elks J (14 November 2014). The Dictionary of Drugs: Chemical Data: Chemical Data, Structures and Bibliographies . Springer. pp. 764–. ISBN 978-1-4757-2085-3 .
^ a b c d e f "Melengestrol" . Drugs.com . Archived from the original on 30 July 2017.
^ a b Asa CS, Porton IJ (2010). "Chapter 34: Contraception as a Management Tool for Controlling Surplus Animals" . In Kleiman DG, Thompson KV, Baer CK (eds.). Wild Mammals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques for Zoo Management (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. pp. 469– 482. ISBN 9780226440118 . Retrieved 17 March 2016 .
^ a b Sharman M, van Ginkel L, MacNeil JD (26 November 2009). "Chapter 4: Current Analytical Methods Used for the Detection of Hormone Residues" . In Kay JF (ed.). Analyses for Hormonal Substances in Food-Producing Animals . Royal Society of Chemistry. p. 139. doi :10.1039/9781849730723-00129 . ISBN 978-0-85404-198-5 . Retrieved 27 May 2012 .
^ a b Illingworth DV, Elsner C, De Groot K, Flickinger GL, Mikhail G (February 1977). "A specific progesterone receptor of myometrial cytosol from the rhesus monkey". Journal of Steroid Biochemistry . 8 (2): 157– 160. doi :10.1016/0022-4731(77)90040-1 . PMID 405534 .
^ "Recent Animal Drug Approvals" . U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) . 2 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024 . This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
^ https://animaldrugsatfda.fda.gov/adafda/app/search/public/document/downloadFoi/16365
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