Androsterone Research Paper

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Androsterone ((3α,5α)-3-hydroxyandrostan-17- one) is the inactive metabolite of DHEA, Testosterone or most androgen in general (1,2,3). It is an endogenous steroid (6) and it is also called a neurosteriod, which has psychotropic action (2). Androsterone or 5α,3α-A is the first steroid to be extracted which had male sex hormone activity (1). It was extracted and isolated from urine by Butenandt in early 1930s and was suspected to have function in fetal sex-determination (1).5α,3α-A, which can also be derived from androstenedione is found in adult brain and in serum along with its glucuronide and sulphate conjugates (6). Androsterone is a ketosteroid from the 5α- reductase pathway (4) and are substrate for various UGTs (14). Androsterone is also …show more content…

The first step of the metabolism is the irreversible reduction of testosterone by 5α-reductase isoenzymes, which consequently leads to the formation of the androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone (7). After the reductions occur in the 5 positions the molecule is further reduced by successive 3α and 17β reductions (7). The reductions are catalyzed by 3α- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase respectively (7). The aforementioned reductions result in 5α,3α-A (7). The metabolism of the Testosterone predominantly occurs in the liver in-vivo (11) to produce Androsterone, which then can be secreted through urine as a glucuronide or sulphate conjugates or both (7).
Isolation
Androsterone is a metabolite that can be found in urine which can be separated using multiple fractional distillation and evaporation technique (8). Following a colorimetric assay, the sample would then be purified using recrystallization method and the quality of the crystals can then be verified by its melting point which is 1840-185°C (8).
The exact structure of the crystal was determine using a purified sample by X-Ray Crystallography and Vector-Coincidence technique

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