Estrogen contents and progestagen activity of two compounds containing ethynodiol diacetate

105 women aged 18-36 years used the estrogen-progestagen compound Bisecurin as a contraceptive for a period of 21 days. 70 used Bisecurin 1 which is a compound of ethynodiol diacetate at 1 mg and mestranol at .1 mg. 35 used Bisecurin 2 which is 1 mg of ethynodiol diacetate and .05 mg of mestranol. The reactivity of the vaginal epithelium and the endometrium was used to assess the progestagenic effects of these compounds. After 21 days the results from vaginal smears and endometrial biopsies were compared for the 2 compounds. The level of activity was found to depend on the estrogen-progestagen ratio which was 1:10 for Bisecurin 1 and 1:20 for Bisecurin 2. Bisecurin 1 showed a high percentage of weak progestational effects while Bisecurin 2 showed specific moderate and marked effects.(Authors modified)