| Sex-hormonal agent | |
|---|---|
| Drug class | |
| Class identifiers | |
| Synonyms | Sex-steroidal agent; Sex-hormone receptor modulator |
| Use | Hormone therapy; Antihormone therapy; Hormonal contraception |
| Biological target | Androgen receptor; Estrogen receptor; Progesterone receptor |
| Chemical class | Steroidal; Nonsteroidal |
| Legal status | |
| In Wikidata | |
A sex-hormonal agent, also known as a sex-hormone receptor modulator, is a type of hormonal agent which specifically modulates the effects of sex hormones and of their biological targets, the sex hormone receptors. The sex hormones include androgens such as testosterone, estrogens such as estradiol, and progestogens such as progesterone.[1] Sex-hormonal agents may be either steroidal or nonsteroidal in chemical structure and may serve to either enhance, inhibit, or have mixed effects on the function of the sex hormone systems.[2]
Sex-hormonal agents are used in medicine for a variety of purposes including hormone therapy (e.g., menopausal hormone therapy, androgen replacement therapy, transgender hormone therapy), antihormone therapy (e.g., androgen deprivation therapy, estrogen deprivation therapy), and hormonal contraception, among others.