Steroids have a wide distribution in nature and serve important physiological functions. They act as sex hormones, anti-inflammatory agents, cardiac steroids, and diuretics. Steroids contain four fused rings and have a cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene structure. They are classified based on this core structure and include gonane, estrane, androstane, pregnane, and cholestane derivatives. Steroids bind to receptors in target cells and trigger protein synthesis that mediates their physiological effects. Major classes of steroids include glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, estrogens, progestogens, and androgens.

1. By
SHAIKH SANIYA

2.  Steroids has a wide distribution in nature and are formed by
similar biochemical pathways.
 Steroids have broad functions in physiology, they act as
1. Male sex hormone .Eg: testosterone.
2. Female sex hormone. Eg: estradiol, progesterone.
3. Anti inflammatory agent Eg: cortisone.
4. Cardiac steroids Eg: digitoxigenin.
5. Diuretics Eg: spironolactone.
6. Digestants .Eg:dihydrocholic

3.  Steroids consists of 4 fussed rings designated as
A,B,C and D.
 The 4 ring structure is cyclo
pentanoperhydrophenanthrene.
 It consist of cylopantane ring D and 3 ring structure
of perhydrophenanthrene

4.  Steroids are named as derivatives of
 Gonane (C17)
 Estrane (C18)

5.  Androstane (C19)
 Pregnane (C21)

6.  Cholestane (C27)

7.  The target cell contain receptor in cytoplasm which
react with steroid.
 The steroid receptor complex enter the cell nucleus by
translocation.
 The complex binds with chromatin and this triggers the
synthesis of mRNA.
 The mRNA moves out into cytoplasm and acts as a
template for protein synthesis.

8. 1) Adrenocorticoid
a) Mineralocorticoids
Eg: Aldesterone ,deoxycorticosterone,
Fludrocortisone.
b) Glucocorticoids
Eg: cortisone , hydrocortisone,
corticosterone, prednisone ,
prednisolone

9. 2) Sex hormones
a)Estrogens
Eg : estrone , erstradiol, estratriol
b) Progestin
Eg:progesterone and derivatives,
testosterones
c) Androgens
Eg: testosterone

10. a)Mineralocorticoids
 They affect mainly the metabolism of electrolytes and water.
Eg: aldesterone ,deoxycorticosterone.
 They cause retention of Na+, PO4, Ca ,HNO3 and reduction
of serum K+
 Mineralocorticoids are useful in treatment of Addison’s
disease.
 Deoxycorticosterone and fludrocortisone are used as
replacement for aldosterone.

11.  1.Aldosterone
 2.Deoxycorticosterone

12. 3.Fludrocortisone

13.  Mainly affect carbohydrates, protein metabolism and
lipid metabolism.
 Eg: cortisone, Hydrocortisone, corticosterone.
 They causes deposition of glycogen.
 They promote gluconogenesis, i.e formation of
carbohydrate from non-carbohydrate molecule.
 The affect muscle tone, gastric secretion etc.

14.  Cortisone
 Hydrocortisone

15.  Prednisone
 Methyl prednisone

16.  All the Adrenocorticoid have parent structure of
pregnane C21, all trans backbone is essential for
activity.
 Replacement of OH group at C21 with F increases
activity, while replacement with Cl or Br decreases
activity.
 The 11 beta OH group is involved in drug receptor
binding, cortisone may be reduced to hydrocortisone as
the active agent.
 The 9 alpha- flouro group increase glucocorticoid
activity.

17.  Substituent's which increase both glucocorticoid and
mineralocorticoid activity.
 16 alpha methyl group and 16 beta methyl group
decreases mineralocorticoid activity.

18. a)Estrogen
 It brings about the development of secondary sexual
characteristics in females such as growth of hairs,
growth of breast mainly produced by ovary, placenta,
adrenal cortex.
 Eg :Estrone

19.  Estradiol
 Estratriol

20.  Estrogen does not require a strict steroidal structure for
activity hence compound with non steroidal nucleus
can also posses estrogenic activity.
 DES can be viewed as a form of estradial with ring B &
C open & 6C and D ring.
 i.e.

21.  Reduction of double bonds of DES results in two
diasteromers of hexesterol.
 USES OF ESTROGENS
 Prevention and treatment of post menopausal
osteoporosis and other deficiency diseases.
 In abnormal uterine bleeding.
 In failure of ovarian development.
 As oral contraceptive with progestins.

22. b. Progestogens
 After ovulation takes place, corpus luteum is formed.
 It produces the hormone progesterone which maintains
pregnancy and prevents ovulation during pregnancy.
 Progestin are compound that have biologic activities
similar to progesterone.
 They include 2 structural classes
a)progesterone and derivatives
b)testosterones

23.  Progesterone
 Medroxy Progesterone

24.  Megesterol
 Norgestrel

25.  Steroidal nucleus is important for progestational
activity.
 The synthetic progestin's are of different types:
a. prognane derivatives
b. androthane derivatives
c. estrane derivatives
 Ethisterone has a progestational as well as androgenic
activity.
 Removal of 19 CH3 group decreases androgenic
activity.

26.  In male , FHS &LH are released under the regulation of
hypothalamus.
 FSH promotes sperm development or spermatogenesis
& LH stimulates the interstitial leying cells to secrete
androgens.
 The important androgen is testosterone.
 Testosterone

27.  Testosterone has 2 main activities
1. Androgenic or male sex characteristic promoting
activity.
2. Anabolic or muscle building activity.
 It increase rate of protein synthesis & decrease rate of
protein breakdown.

28.  17 Alpha methyl testosterone
 Oxymesterone

29.  Androgens are regarded as derivatives of aldosteron.
 Steroidal nucleus is essential for the androgenic
activity.
 Introduction of 3 keto & 17 alpha group increases
androgenic activity.
 Increase in the length of alkyl side chain at C17 alpha
decrease activity.
 Esterification of testosterone at C17 with no. of acids
results in a long DOA