Serum oestrone, oestradiol and oestriol concentrations during oral oestradiol valerate and oestriol succinate therapy in ovariectomized women.

Serum oestrone, oestradiol and oestriol concentrations were investigated during oral treatment with oestradiol valerate and oestriol succinate in ovariectomized women. The dosages used were 1 mg oestradiol valerate in the morning and 2 mg oestriol succinate in the evening of the first day and 2 mg oestradiol valerate in the morning of the second day of treatment. The other group of patients received the same therapy in reverse order. The variation in the serum oestrone and oestradiol concentrations with a daily dose of 1 or 2 mg of oestradiol valerate were considerable. 2 mg oestriol succinate caused a fairly small elevation of serum oestriol concentration. In both treatment groups the quotient E3/(E2 + E1) was similar to that found at the 6-7th day and in the middle of the normal menstrual cycle, the quotient E1/(E2 + E3) was somewhat higher than during normal cycle.