Estradiol vs Progesterone: what is the difference?
Estradiol builds the uterine lining in the first half of the menstrual cycle and progesterone maintains it in the second, after ovulation.
Sources and notes
- The sentence under the titlefrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notesThe pair's answer line.
- The two drawingscomputedMoleculeFinder rule (RDKit MCS)Drawn the same way round on the skeleton they share. Aligned; 15 atoms differ, too many to mark as one group.
Side by side
| Estradiol | Progesterone | |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weightCalculated PubChem | 272.4 g/molC18H24O2 | 314.5 g/molC21H30O2 |
| Hydrogen-bond donorsCalculated PubChem | 2 | 0 |
| FamilyEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Steroid hormones | Steroid hormones |
| Everyday groupEditorial MoleculeFinder curated | Body | Body |
| Chemical groupsCalculated Found by rule (RDKit) | Alcohols, Aromatics, Phenols | Ketones |
| Hazard labelReported ECHA via PubChem | Danger | Danger |
| The supplier-filed hazard label's signal word, not a statement about ordinary use. | ||
Sources and notes
- Molecular weightcomputedPubChemComputed from the structure; the formula is under each weight.
- Hydrogen-bond donorscomputedPubChemThe hydrogens on nitrogen or oxygen that each molecule can lend to a hydrogen bond, counted from its structure.
- Familyfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Everyday groupfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Chemical groupscomputedFound by rule (RDKit)Each group is found in the structure by a chemical pattern.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA via PubChem
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Identifiersfrom sourcePubChemPubChem CID 5757 (Estradiol) and 5994 (Progesterone).
In more detail
Both are steroid hormones central to the menstrual cycle and they act in sequence rather than in competition. Estradiol dominates the first half of the cycle, building the uterine lining, and progesterone dominates the second half after ovulation, maintaining it. Structurally estradiol is the more modified: its first ring is aromatic and carries a phenol, which is what makes it an estrogen, while progesterone keeps the intact steroid skeleton with two ketones and is the direct precursor of cortisol and testosterone. Progesterone is the heavier at 314.5 against 272.4. Both are made from cholesterol, and both appear here as body-endogenous molecules rather than as medicines.
Sources and notes
- The paragraphfrom sourceMoleculeFinder comparison notes
Questions
- What is the difference between Estradiol and Progesterone?
- Estradiol builds the uterine lining in the first half of the menstrual cycle and progesterone maintains it in the second, after ovulation.
- Is Estradiol bigger than Progesterone?
- Progesterone is the heavier molecule, 314.5 g/mol against 272.4 g/mol for Estradiol. Estradiol is C18H24O2 and Progesterone is C21H30O2.
Sources and notes
- The answersfrom sourceMoleculeFinderThe first is the pair's answer line; the others are read off the table above.