Chlorotrianisene

General information

Chlorotrianisene is a non-steroidal triphenylethylene with estrogen and antiestrogen activity. Diethylstilbestrol and other non-steroidal estrogens came into vogue at a time when the cost of producing steroidal estrogens, whether synthetic or of natural origin, was still prohibitive. They have fallen out of favor, in view of the association between diethylstilbestrol in pregnancy and second-generation injury. There is no reason for believing that the short-term acute adverse reactions to these non-steroidal compounds differ from those of estrogenic steroids.

Chlorotrianisene does not bind in vitro to the uterine estrogen receptor but has potent estrogenic and antiestrogenic actions in vivo, suggesting that it is a prodrug. Its antiestrogenic activity has been proposed to be due to a reactive intermediate [ ].