antiandrogen
Antiandrogens, also known as androgen antagonists or testosterone blockers, are a class of drugs that prevent androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from mediating their biological effects in the body. They act by blocking the androgen receptor (AR) and/or inhibiting or suppressing androgen production. They can be thought of as the functional opposites of AR agonists, for instance androgens and anabolic steroids (AAS) like testosterone, DHT, and nandrolone and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) like enobosarm. Antiandrogens are one of three types of sex hormone a
Key facts
- Drug class.Use
- • Men and boys: Prostate cancer; Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Scalp hair loss; Paraphilias; Hypersexuality; Sex offenders; Precocious puberty; Priapism• Women and girls: Acne; Seborrhea; Hidradenitis suppurativa; Hirsutism; Scalp hair loss; Hyperandrogenism; Transgender hormone therapy
- Drug class.ATC_prefix
- L02BB
- Drug class.Biological_target
- Androgen receptor; Progesterone receptor; Estrogen receptor; receptor; 5α-Reductase; CYP17A1 (17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase); P450scc; Others
- Drug class.Chemical_class
- Steroidal; Nonsteroidal; Peptide
- Drug class.MeshID
- D000726
- Drug class.Image
- Bicalutamide.svg
- Drug class.ImageClass
- skin-invert-image
- Drug class.Caption
- Bicalutamide, a nonsteroidal antiandrogen and the most widely used androgen receptor antagonist in the treatment of prostate cancer.
- Drug class.Width
- 250px
- Drug class.Synonyms
- Androgen antagonists; Androgen blockers; Testosterone blockers
Article
43 sectionsContents
- Medical uses
- Males
- Prostate cancer
- Enlarged prostate
- Scalp hair loss
- Acne
- Paraphilias
- Early puberty
- Long-lasting erections
- Women and girls
- Skin and hair conditions
- High androgen levels
- Transgender hormone therapy
- Available forms
- Side effects
- Overdose
- Interactions
- Mechanism of action
- Androgen receptor antagonists
- N-Terminal domain antagonists
- Androgen receptor degraders
- Androgen synthesis inhibitors
- 5α-Reductase inhibitors
- Antigonadotropins
- Miscellaneous
- Sex hormone-binding globulin modulators
- Corticosteroid-binding globulin modulators
- Anticorticotropins
- Insulin sensitizers
- Immunogens and vaccines
- Chemistry
- History
- Timeline
- Society and culture
- Etymology
- Research
- Topical administration
- Male contraception
- Breast cancer
- Miscellaneous
- See also
- References
- Further reading
Antiandrogens, also known as androgen antagonists or testosterone blockers, are a class of drugs that prevent androgens like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from mediating their biological effects in the body. They act by blocking the androgen receptor (AR) and/or inhibiting or suppressing androgen production. They can be thought of as the functional opposites of AR agonists, for instance androgens and anabolic steroids (AAS) like testosterone, DHT, and nandrolone and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) like enobosarm. Antiandrogens are one of three types of sex hormone antagonists, the others being antiestrogens and antiprogestogens.
Antiandrogens are used to treat an assortment of androgen-dependent conditions. In men, antiandrogens are used in the treatment of prostate cancer, enlarged prostate, scalp hair loss, overly high sex drive, unusual and problematic sexual urges, and early puberty. In women, antiandrogens are used to treat acne, seborrhea, excessive hair growth, scalp hair loss, and high androgen levels, such as those that occur in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Antiandrogens are also used as a component of feminizing hormone therapy for transgender women and as puberty blockers in transgender girls.