Estradiol and Estrogen-like Alternative Therapies in Use: The Importance of the Selective and Non-Classical Actions

• Published in: Biomedicines Vol. 10; no. 4; p. 861
• Main Authors: Farkas, Szidónia, Szabó, Adrienn, Hegyi, Anita Emőke, Török, Bibiána, Fazekas, Csilla Lea, Ernszt, Dávid, Kovács, Tamás, Zelena, Dóra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06.04.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: 17β-Estradiol; Adrenal glands; alternative therapies; Bones; Breast cancer; Cytoplasm; Dementia disorders; Endoplasmic reticulum; Enzymes; estrogen; Estrogens; Hormone replacement therapy; Hormones; Kinases; Ligands; Lipids; Localization; Menopause; Menstrual cycle; Nervous system; Neuromodulation; Neuroprotection; non-classical actions; Osteoporosis; Ovaries; Phytoestrogens; Proteins; Review; Selective estrogen receptor modulators; SERMs; Sex hormones; Steroids; tissue-selectivity; Uterus; tissue-selectivity; estrogen; SERMs; menopause; ANGELS; alternative therapies; non-classical actions; phytoestrogens; osteoporosis
• ISSN: 2227-9059; 2227-9059
• DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040861

Estrogen is one of the most important female sex hormones, and is indispensable for reproduction. However, its role is much wider. Among others, due to its neuroprotective effects, estrogen protects the brain against dementia and complications of traumatic injury. Previously, it was used mainly as a therapeutic option for influencing the menstrual cycle and treating menopausal symptoms. Unfortunately, hormone replacement therapy might be associated with detrimental side effects, such as increased risk of stroke and breast cancer, raising concerns about its safety. Thus, tissue-selective and non-classical estrogen analogues have become the focus of interest. Here, we review the current knowledge about estrogen effects in a broader sense, and the possibility of using selective estrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs), selective estrogen-receptor downregulators (SERDs), phytoestrogens, and activators of non-genomic estrogen-like signaling (ANGELS) molecules as treatment.