Prochieve and Selegiline Hydrochloride

• Generic Name: progesterone
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Crinone, Endometrin, FIRST-Progesterone VGS 200, Prochieve, First Progesterone MC10, Menopause Formula Progesterone, Prometrium

Progesterone is a female hormone important for ovulation and menstruation. Progesterone causes changes in the lining of your uterus, making it easier for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus at the beginning of pregnancy. Progesterone then helps your body maintain the pregnancy.

Prochieve (for use in the vagina) is used to cause menstrual periods in women who have not yet reached menopause but are not having periods due to a lack of progesterone in the body.

Prochieve is also used in fertility treatment as part of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) for women unable to get pregnant due to a lack of natural progesterone in the body.

Prochieve is also used to prevent overgrowth in the lining of the uterus in postmenopausal women who are receiving estrogen hormone replacement therapy.

Prochieve may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

• Generic Name: selegiline
• Dosage Forms: n.a.
• Other Brand Names: Eldepryl, Zelapar, Emsam

Used as adjunctive therapy for symptomatic treatment of parkinsonian syndrome (e.g., parkinsonism, Parkinson disease [paralysis agitans]) in patients who exhibit a deteriorating response to levodopa/carbidopa; designated an orphan drug by FDA for this condition. Appears to be most beneficial when used during the early stages of the “wearing off” effect. Especially useful in improving “end-of-dose” motor fluctuations.

Has been used as monotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed parkinsonian syndrome. Because selegiline is well tolerated and possibly neuroprotective (i.e., reduces the rate of progression of parkinsonian syndrome ), some clinicians initiate therapy with selegiline in such patients, reserving levodopa or another agent (i.e., dopamine agonist) until manifestations become severe enough to warrant more aggressive therapy. However, the manufacturers state that there is no evidence from controlled studies indicating that selegiline provides benefit in the absence of concurrent levodopa therapy.

Has been used with equivocal results for the palliative treatment of mild to moderate dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (Alzheimer’s disease, presenile or senile dementia).