Medicinal significance of steroid hormones

Routes of steroid hormone biosynthesis
Due to the special physiological functions of steroid hormones, it has important medicinal value. Steroid hormones are mainly used in the following aspects:
1 Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic: Many steroid hormones have excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties, such as natural cortisone (17-hydroxy-11-dehydrocorticosterone) and hydrocortisone (17-hydroxycorticosterone) ) is a widely used anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic drug.
On the basis of cortisone structure, a series of anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic drugs with better effects and lower side effects were synthesized through structural modification and screening. For example, synthetic prednisone (1-dehydrocortisone), which is a double bond between the first and second carbon atoms, is 3 to 5 times stronger than that of hydrocortisone, and is mainly used for the treatment of asthma. The other is fluocinolone acetonide, its anti-inflammatory activity is several times that of hydrocortisone, and it is a good medicine for treating various inflammations and psoriasis.
2 Treatment of male or female diseases and contraception: Sex hormones are often used in the treatment of male or female diseases. For example, estradiol and progesterone can be used to treat menstrual disorders in women, as well as women's menopausal diseases. Progesterone also has a fetal effect, so that the pregnancy process can proceed normally.
Female injection or oral administration of estradiol or progesterone, or a combination of the two, can be used for contraception. By chemically modifying the structure of sex hormones, a new type of contraceptive with good performance has been synthesized. At present, the contraceptives used in clinical practice are mainly norethisterone and 17-ethinyl estradiol, and the success rate of contraception is above 99%. The principle is to inhibit the secretion of ovulation by the pituitary gland gonadotropin and make the endometrium suitable for fertilization and planting. The synthetic long-acting contraceptive, ethinyl estradiol, is absorbed by fat tissue and metabolized into ethinyl estradiol after administration, and then slowly released, thereby achieving the purpose of long-acting contraception.
3 Improve metabolic function: Many steroid hormones have a good function of regulating sugar metabolism and water and salt metabolism. In particular, some synthetic steroid hormones have a more pronounced effect. For example, stanozolol is a synthetic steroid hormone whose structure is:
This hormone can promote the body's hematopoietic function, increase hemoglobin, thereby accelerating the circulation of oxygen and CO2, and enhancing physical strength. And it also promotes bone formation and muscles. Therefore, it is an effective drug for the treatment of chronic wasting diseases, serious illness and recovery after surgery. Because this hormone can make people get more than normal explosive force and endurance in a short time, it is abused by some athletes to improve sports performance. In recent years, international sports organizations have implemented strict drug tests to deal with the growing problem of taking illicit drugs.
Although steroid hormone drugs have good curative effect, long-term use can cause serious harm to human health, especially the damage to the liver of the liver is more significant, and there will be cases of masculinization of women. Therefore, steroid hormone drugs should be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Glucocorticoids and sex hormones are major steroid hormones involved in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and they play a powerful and rapid therapeutic role.