Cyproterone

Cyproterone-BG Tablets

Medical uses

Androgen-dependent conditions

CPA is used in the treatment of prostate cancer, precocious puberty, androgen-dependent skin and hair conditions such as acne, seborrhea, hirsutism (excessive hair growth), and androgenic alopecia (pattern hair loss), hyperandrogenism (e.g., in PCOS), and to reduce sex drive in sex offenders or men with paraphilias or hypersexuality. CPA is also widely used as a component of feminizing hormone therapy for transgender women. In the U.S., where CPA is not available, other drugs with antiandrogen properties like the diuretic spironolactone and the progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate are used instead to treat androgen-dependent conditions besides prostate cancer.

In the treatment of acne in women, a formulation of low-dose CPA in combination with EE has been found to result in overall improvement in 75 to 90% of patients, with responses approaching 100% improvement.

Birth control

The combination of CPA and EE, a formulation sometimes referred to as co-cyprindiol, has been available as a combined oral contraceptivesince 1978. This formulation is taken once daily for 21 days, followed by a 7-day free interval. CPA has also been available in combination with estradiol valerate (brand name Femilar) as a contraceptive in Finland since 1993.

Available form

CPA is available in the form of oral tablets alone 50 mg or in combination with ethinylestradiol or estradiol valerate (low-dose; 2 mg CPA) . The high-dose formulations are used to treat prostate cancer and certain other androgen-related indications while the low-dose formulations which also have an estrogen are used as combined birth control pills and are used in menopausal hormone therapyfor the treatment of menopausal symptoms.