Clinical Applications of Mifepristone (RU486) and Other Antiprogestins

Mifepristone (RU486), the first clinically available antiprogestin, has generated great interest since its discovery in the early 1980s. Today, it is recognized that mifepristone, along with other antiprogestins, has a potentially significant therapeutic role in human health and disease, with likely applicability to a variety of pregnancy-related conditions (e.g., management of labor) and to contraception, endometriosis, and cancer, among others. But because mifepristone has been studied and used most widely as a means of nonsurgical abortion, political issues have thus far limited research on the drug and prevented its introduction into the U.S. market.

This book provides an unbiased evaluation of current knowledge about both the fundamental nature of antiprogestins as well as their possible use in treating numerous diseases and conditions, and it contains recommendations for future research.

• Front Matter
• Summary
• INtroduction
• Uses of Antiprogestins: The Reproductive Cycle (Part I)
• Uses of Antiprogestins: The Reproductive Cycle (Part II)
• Other Therapeutic Uses of Antiprogestins
• Antiglucocorticoid Effects of Antiprogestins
• Animals as Models for Studying Antiprogestins
• Appendix A: Agenda fr the IOM Workshop 'Antiprogestins: Assessing the Science'
• Appendix B: Background Papers and Presentations (In Order of Presentation at IOM Workshop)
• B1. 1993: RU 486--A Decade on Today and Tomorrow
• B2. Overview and Background: Mechanism of Action of Antiprogestins
• B3. The Use of Antiprogestins in the Reproductive Cycle
• B4. Potential Contraceptive Effects of Antigestogens
• B5. Use of Antiprogestins Before 63 Days of Amenorrhea
• B6. Uses of Antiprogestins After 63 Days of Amenorrhea
• B7. Comments on Session II
• B8. Use of Antiprogestins in the Management of Endometriosis and Leiomyoma
• B9. Antiprogestins and the Treatment of Breast Cancer
• B10. Uses of RU 486 as an Antiglucocoticoid
• B11. Primate Models for the Study of Antiprogestins in Reproductive Medicine
• B12. ANtiprogestogens: Perspectives from a Global Research Program
• Appendix C: Observers at the Workshop on Antiprogestins
• Index