Sex hormone activity

An oestrogen present in the urine of pregnant women. It possesses female sex hormone activity but is not as active as oestrone. 

Silylated steroids, especially steroids having sex-hormone activity, have been the subject of numerous investigations. There has been no comprehensive investigation of the general effects of silylation of steroids. From the activity noted for the sex hormones, such a study is probably warranted. 

During the course of this project, over 600 new compounds with anti-aldoster-one activity were synthetized. Some of these has a fused cyclopropane ring in place of a double bond because of the known electronic similarity under certain circumstances. The test models were developed and the anti-aldosterone activity tests were performed by Losert and coworkers [7]. Sex hormone activity investigations were conducted at Schering s endocrine pharmacology unit, and spirorenone (6/ ,7/ 15/ ,16/ -dimethylen-3-oxo-17a-pregna-l,4-dien-21,17-carbolac-tone) (Fig. 17.4) [3,8] was finally chosen as the candidate for development. 

In addition to the several adrenal cortical steroids whose biological effects relate to cortical function, some with androgenic (male sex hormonal) activity are also produced. 

Interaction of vitamin D and its metaboUtes with sex hormones has been demonstrated, particularly ia birds ia which the egg-laying functions combine calcium needs and reproductive activity. The metaboUtes of vitamin D behave as hormones. As such, they play an active role ia the endocrine system, along with other hormones, to maintain the various body functions. Several biological influences of metaboUtes of vitamin D have been studied, including effects related to cancer (193—197), skin diseases (198—201), immunomodulatory effects (202,203), and Alzheimer s disease (204—206) (Fig. 9). 

Cells from tissues associated with primary and secondary sexual characteristics are under particular endocrine control. Sex hormones determinethe growth, differentiation, and proliferation of such cells. When a tumor develops in such tissues, it is sometimes hormone dependent and the use of anti hormones removes the impetus for the tumor s headlong growth. Many nonsteroidal compounds have estrogenic activity diethylstilbest-jrol (81) may be taken as an example. Certain more bulky an-... 

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology with some autoimmune features. Current thinking favours the hypothesis that interplay between genetic factors, sex hormones, and possibly an infectious agent or another immune activating agent initiates an autoimmune pathogenic mechanism that culminates in a disease with inflammatory and destructive features. 

Lange, LG., Daxenberger, A., and Schiffer, B. et al. (2002). Sex hormones originating from different livestock prodnction systems fate and potential disrupting activity in the environment. Anal ChimicaActa 473, 21-31. 

Whole microbial cells as well as microbially derived enzymes have played a significant role in the production of novel antibiotics. The potential of microorganisms as chemical catalysts, however, was first fully realized in the synthesis of industrially important steroids. These reactions have assumed increasing importance following the discovery that certain steroids such as hydrocortisone have anti-inflammatory activity, whilst derivatives of the steroidal sex hormones are nsefiil as oral contraceptive agents. More recently, chiral inversion of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory dmgs (NS AIDs) has been demonstrated. 

Another intriguing observation is that the female sex-hormone 17/i-estradiol (28) could dramatically potentiate capsaicin responses, whereas the male hormone testosterone had marginal inhibitory activity. Sex differences in pain responses have long been known, with women being more sensitive to capsaicin-induced pain than men [94]. The differential modulation of capsaicin responses by female and male hormones might provide a rationale to explain this observation. 

Dunbar I.F. and Beach F.A. (1980). Developmental and activational effects of sex hormones on the attractiveness of dog urine. Physiol Behav 24, 201-204. 

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