Steroidal antiandrogen
| Steroidal antiandrogen | |
|---|---|
| Drug class | |
Cyproterone acetate, the most widely employed steroidal antiandrogen. | |
| Class identifiers | |
| Synonyms | Steroidal androgen receptor antagonists |
| Use | Prostate cancer; Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Acne; Hirsutism; Seborrhea; Pattern hair loss; Hyperandrogenism; Transgender hormone therapy; Hypersexuality; Paraphilias; Male precocious puberty; Priapism |
| ATC code | G03HA |
| Biological target | Androgen receptor |
| Chemical class | Steroidal |
| Legal status | |
| In Wikidata | |
A steroidal antiandrogen (SAA) is an antiandrogen with a steroidal chemical structure. They are typically antagonists of the androgen receptor (AR) and act both by blocking the effects of androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and by suppressing gonadal androgen production. SAAs lower concentrations of testosterone through simulation of the negative feedback inhibition of the hypothalamus. SAAs are used in the treatment of androgen-dependent conditions in men and women, and are also used in veterinary medicine for the same purpose. They are the converse of nonsteroidal antiandrogens (NSAAs), which are antiandrogens that are not steroids and are structurally unrelated to testosterone.