Elinest
Generic name:norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol
Dosage form: tablets
Drug class:Contraceptives
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 22, 2021.
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Patients should be counseled that this product does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.
ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE AGENTS
Elinest Description
Elinest™ Tablets (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets USP, 0.3 mg/0.03 mg) provide an oral contraceptive regimen consisting of 21 pale pink tablets followed by 7 white tablets.
Each pale pink tablet, for oral administration contains 0.3 mg of norgestrel and 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol and the following inactive ingredients: titanium dioxide, macrogol/PEG 3350 NF, talc, polyvinyl alcohol, lecithin (soya), FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #6, FD&C Blue #1, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate and pregelatinized starch.
Each inactive white tablet, for oral administration, in the 28 day regimen contains the following inactive ingredients: titanium dioxide, polydextrose, hypromellose, triacetin, macrogol/polyethylene glycol 8000, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate and pregelatinized corn starch.
Norgestrel is a totally synthetic progestogen, insoluble in water, freely soluble in chloroform, sparingly soluble in alcohol with the chemical name (±)-13-Ethyl-17-hydroxy-18,19-dinor-17 -preg-4-en-20-yn-3-one. Ethinyl estradiol is an estrogen, insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol, in chloroform, in ether, in vegetable oils, and in solutions of fixed alkali hydroxides with the chemical name 19-nor-17 -pregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yne-3,17-diol. Their structural formulae follow:
Therapeutic class: Oral contraceptive.
Elinest - Clinical Pharmacology
Combination oral contraceptives act by suppression of gonadotrophins. Although the primary mechanism of this action is inhibition of ovulation, other alterations include changes in the cervical mucus (which increase the difficulty of sperm entry into the uterus) and the endometrium (which may reduce the likelihood of implantation).