Levonest

Generic name:levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol
Dosage form: tablet
Drug class:Contraceptives

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 22, 2021.

Patients should be counseled that this product does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Levonest Description

Each Levonest™ (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets—triphasic regimen) cycle of 28 tablets consists of three different drug phases as follows:

Phase 1 comprised of 6 yellow tablets, each containing 0.050 mg of levonorgestrel (d(-)-13 beta-ethyl-17-alpha-ethinyl-17-beta-hydroxygon-4-en-3-one), a totally synthetic progestogen, and 0.030 mg of ethinyl estradiol (19-nor-17 -pregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yne-3, 17-diol); phase 2 comprised of 5 green tablets, each containing 0.075 mg levonorgestrel and 0.040 mg ethinyl estradiol; and phase 3 comprised of 10 light brown tablets, each containing 0.125 mg levonorgestrel and 0.030 mg ethinyl estradiol; then followed by 7 white inert tablets. The inactive ingredients present in the yellow, green and light brown tablets are lactose, magnesium stearate and pregelatinized corn starch.

Each yellow tablet also contains FD&C Yellow #5 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake, titanium dioxide, macrogol/ polyethylene glycol 3350 NF, lecithin (soya), talc, and polyvinyl alcohol. Each green tablet also contains FD&C Yellow #5 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Red #40 Aluminum Lake, FD&C Blue #2 Aluminum Lake, titanium dioxide, macrogol/ polyethylene glycol 3000 NF, lecithin (soya), talc, and polyvinyl alcohol. Each light brown tablet also contains iron oxide yellow, iron oxide red, iron oxide black, titanium dioxide, macrogol/ polyethylene glycol 3350 NF, lecithin (soya), talc, and polyvinyl alcohol. Each inactive, white tablet (7) contains the following inactive ingredients: Titanium dioxide, polydextrose, hypromellose, triacetin, macrogol/polyethylene glycol 8000, lactose, magnesium stearate and pregelatinized corn starch.

Levonest - Clinical Pharmacology

Combination oral contraceptives primarily act by suppression of gonadotropins. Although the primary mechanism of this action is inhibition of ovulation, other alterations include changes in the cervical mucus (which increase the difficul...