| abstract |
A pharmaceutical composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of androst-5-en-3beta, 17beta-diol or a prodrug thereof. The compound androst-5-en-3beta, 17beta-diol is used to treat or reduce the likelihood of acquiring osteoporosis or symptoms of menopause or other diseases affected by estrogen receptor activity and for conditions that correspond to DHEA treatment, but where it results a greater proportion of estrogenic to androgenic effects is desirable. The composition is useful in a method to treat or reduce the probability of acquiring reduced or unbalanced concentrations of sex steroids, in a method to try to reduce the likelihood of acquiring symptoms of menopause, vaginal atrophy, hypogonadism, osteoporosis, a decrease in libido, atrophy skin, urinary incontinence, ovarian cancer or uterine cancer, dry skin, breast cancer or endometriosis, in a contraceptive method, which include a step of administration to a patient in need of a therapeutically effective amount of an androst composition -5-en-3beta, 17beta-diol or a prodrug thereof. A transdermal patch that continuously administers a composition of androst-5-en-3beta, 17beta-diol, or a prodrogadel itself, where the patch has a means of joining the skin, a reservoir for the compound and a means to put the compound in contact with the skin. |