Ovarian steroids such as estrogen and progesterone have been reported to influence knee laxity. The effect of testosterone, however, remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of testosterone on the knee range of motion (ROM) and the molecular mechanisms that might involve changes in the expression of relaxin receptor isoforms, Rxfp1 and Rxfp2 in the patella tendon and lateral collater...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, elevates brain concentrations of the neuroactive progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone, an effect suggested to underlie its use in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoria. One report showed fluoxetine to activate the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) component of 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSD), which catalyses pro...

The condition known as male pattern hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia are both treated with a family of drugs 5 alpha reductase (5α-reductase) inhibitors. This study shows that the flower Hibiscus rosa sinensis has 5α-reductase inhibitory action is helpful in treatment androgenic diseases. Phytochemical screening was done using petroleum ether, methanol, water extracts to identify phyt...

To explore the possibility that compounds which were identified as pheromones in experimental animals mediate human menstrual synchrony, we examined the relationship between menstrual synchrony and the ability to smell putative pheromones, 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol (3α-androstenol) and 5α-androst-16-en-3-one (5α-androstenone). When we examined menstrual synchrony among 64 women living together in ...

The intracellular availability of glucocorticoids is regulated by the enzymes 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (HSD11B1) and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (HSD11B2). The activity of HSD11B1 is measured in the urine based on the (tetrahydrocortisol+5α-tetrahydrocortisol)/tetrahydrocortisone ((THF+5α-THF)/THE) ratio in humans and the (tetrahydrocorticosterone+5α-tetrahydrocorticosterone)/t...

BACKGROUND Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induces androgenic alopecia by shortening the hair follicle growth phase, resulting in hair loss. We previously demonstrated how changes in the microRNA (miRNA) expression profile influenced DHT-mediated cell death, cell cycle arrest, cell viability, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and senescence. Protective effects against DHT have not, how...

Four new furostanol saponins 1-4, along with two known furostanol saponins 5 and 6 and one known spirostanol saponin 7 were isolated from the rhizomes and roots of Smilax scobinicaulis. The structures of the new saponins were elucidated as 26-O-β-D-glucopyranoside-3β,26-dihydroxy-(25R)-5α-furostan-22-methoxyl-6-one-3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), 26-O-β-D-glucopyranoside...

The synthesis and evaluation of 5α-reductase inhibitory activity of some 4-azasteroid-20-ones and 20-oximes and 3β-hydroxy-, 3β-acetoxy-, or epoxy-substituted C₂₁ steroidal 20-ones and 20-oximes having double bonds in the A and/or B ring are described. Inhibitory activity of synthesized compounds was assessed using 5α-reductase enzyme and [1,2,6,7-³H]testosterone as substrate. All synthesized c...