Tetrahydrogestrinone Is a Potent Androgen and Progestin

Abstract

Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) was recently identified as a novel steroid used illicitly to improve athletic performance. Although its structure is closely related to gestrinone, a 19-nor progestin, and resembles that of trenbolone, THG was never marketed, so information on its hormonal properties is not known. In this study, we demonstrate that THG is a highly potent androgen and progestin in a yeast-based in vitro bio-assay system expressing human androgen and progesterone receptors. It has no estrogenic activity and no antagonism for any of the three steroid receptor classes.