Dihydrotestosterone undecanoate (DHTU), also known as androstanolone undecanoate or stanolone undecanoate, is a

synthetic Synthetic may refer to: Science * Synthetic biology * Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis * Synthetic elements, chemical elements that are not naturally found on Earth and therefore have to be created in ...

androgen An androgen (from Greek ''andr-'', the stem of the word meaning ) is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This includes ...

and

anabolic steroid Anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are a class of drugs that are structurally related to testosterone, the main male sex hormone, and produce effects by binding to the androgen receptor (AR). Anabolism, Anaboli ...

(AAS) which was never marketed. It is an

androgen ester An androgen or anabolic steroid ester is an ester of an androgen/anabolic steroid (AAS) such as the natural testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or the synthetic nandrolone (19-nortestosterone). Esterification renders AAS into metabolism-res ...

; specifically, it is the C17β

undecanoate Undecylic acid (systematically named undecanoic acid) is a carboxylic acid with chemical formula . It is often used as an antifungal agent, to treat ringworm and athlete's foot, for example. Like decanoic acid, it has a distinctive, unpleasant odo ...

(undecylate)

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (either organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group () of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R). These compounds contain a distin ...

dihydrotestosterone Dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 5α-dihydrotestosterone, 5α-DHT, androstanolone or stanolone) is an endogenous androgen sex steroid and hormone primarily involved in the growth and repair of the prostate and the penis, as well as the production o ...

(DHT). DHTU is a

prodrug A prodrug is a pharmacologically inactive medication or compound that, after intake, is metabolized (i.e., converted within the body) into a pharmacologically active drug. Instead of administering a drug directly, a corresponding prodrug can be ...

of DHT. Similarly to

testosterone undecanoate Testosterone undecanoate, sold under the brand name Nebido among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication that is used mainly in the treatment of low testosterone levels in men, It is taken by mouth or given by injection ...

(TU), DHTU is orally active. It occurs as an important

active metabolite An active metabolite, or pharmacologically active metabolite is a biologically active metabolite of a xenobiotic substance, such as a drug or environmental chemical. Active metabolites may produce therapeutic effects, as well as harmful effects. ...

of oral TU. The 5α-reductase inhibitor

finasteride Finasteride, sold under the brand names Proscar and Propecia among others, is a medication used to treat pattern hair loss and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men. It can also be used to treat hirsutism, excessive hair growth in women. It ...

in combination with oral TU has no effect on the first-pass

transformation Transformation may refer to: Science and mathematics In biology and medicine * Metamorphosis, the biological process of changing physical form after birth or hatching * Malignant transformation, the process of cells becoming cancerous * Trans ...

of TU into DHTU or DHT, probably because of its unique

lymphatic Lymph () is the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system, a system composed of lymph vessels (channels) and intervening lymph nodes whose function, like the venous system, is to return fluid from the tissues to be recirculated. At the origi ...

route of

absorption Absorption may refer to: Chemistry and biology *Absorption (biology), digestion **Absorption (small intestine) *Absorption (chemistry), diffusion of particles of gas or liquid into liquid or solid materials *Absorption (skin), a route by which su ...

. Oral DHTU may be absorbed by the lymphatic system similarly to TU, and this may explain its oral

bioavailability In pharmacology, bioavailability is a subcategory of absorption and is the fraction (%) of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation. By definition, when a medication is administered intravenously, its bioavailability is 100%. H ...

References

{{Androgen receptor modulators Abandoned drugs Anabolic–androgenic steroids Androstanes Dihydrotestosterone esters Human drug metabolites Ketones Undecanoate esters

See also

References