G: Genito-urinary system and sex hormones
Group G holds the drugs that act on the genital and urinary organs, together with the sex hormones [1].
| Description | In plain terms | Example drug | |
|---|---|---|---|
| G01 | Gynecological antiinfectives and antiseptics | Clotrimazole (G01AF02) / metronidazole (G01AF01), both vaginal | |
| G02 | Other gynecologicals | uterus drugs: labour induction, drugs to stop contractions (tocolytics), prolactin inhibitors | Misoprostol (G02AD06) / dinoprostone (G02AD02) |
| G03 | Sex hormones and modulators of the genital system | contraceptives, menopause hormone therapy, fertility drugs | Levonorgestrel and ethinylestradiol (G03AA07) / estradiol (G03CA03) |
| G04 | Urologicals | for bladder and prostate problems | Tamsulosin (G04CA02) / solifenacin (G04BD08) |
Where hormone-axis drugs are classified
Drugs that act on androgens are split between the subgroups. Antiandrogens such as cyproterone (G03HA01) are sex-hormone modulators in G03, while the 5α-reductase inhibitors used for an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia), such as finasteride (G04CB01), are urologicals in G04 [1].
ATC files the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues outside group G. Gonadorelin (H01CA01) and nafarelin (H01CA02) are in H01CA, GnRH antagonists such as cetrorelix (H01CC02) are in H01CC, and leuprorelin (L02AE02) and triptorelin (L02AE04) are in L02AE, under endocrine therapy for cancer [1]. In a population PK/PD model of triptorelin in prostate cancer, binding to the GnRH receptor explained an initial, transient rise in testosterone (a flare), and receptor downregulation explained the suppression that followed [2].