360 likes | 1.02k Views
Steroid Hormones. Cholesterol Starting material. Steroid Sex Hormones. Androgens: male sex hormones synthesized in the testes responsible for the development of male secondary sex characteristics. Steroid Hormones. Among the synthetic anabolic steroids are:.
E N D
Steroid Hormones Cholesterol Starting material
Steroid Sex Hormones • Androgens: male sex hormones • synthesized in the testes • responsible for the development of male secondary sex characteristics
Steroid Hormones • Among the synthetic anabolic steroids are: Prohormones, see p.515 Chemical Connections 20G Why are these hormones of interest? Do steroids really work? i.e. improve muscle mass and performance? . . .
Steroid Sex Hormones • Estrogens: female sex hormones • synthesized in the ovaries from progesterone testosterone . . . (aromatization) estradiol • responsible for the development of female secondary sex characteristics and control of the menstrual cycle
Steroid Sex Hormones A woman's monthly cycle w/o the pill (Blue and Red solid lines) • Progesterone-like analogs are used in oral contraceptives: they Make the body think it is Pregnant at all times. . . preventing folicle stimulation and ovulation. . . A woman's monthly cycle on the pill (Blue and Red dashed lines)
Steady stream of Progesterone required for implantation and development of oocyte Other pills block Progesterone all together. . .e.g. RU- 486 Progesterone Prevents egg from staying implanted . . Gets released. . .
Steroid Hormones • Adrenocorticoid hormones • synthesized in the adrenal cortex. • regulate metabolism of carbohydrates. • decrease inflammation. • involved in the reaction to stress.
Bile Salts • Bile salts, the oxidation products of cholesterol. • synthesized in the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and secreted into the intestine where they emulsify dietary fats and aid in their absorption and digestion
Other Classes Lipids: - Prostaglandins- Thromboxanes - Leukotrienes • Prostaglandins: a family of compounds that have the 20-carbon skeleton of prostanoic acid.
Prostaglandins • Not stored in tissues - synthesized from membrane-bound 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids in response to specific physiological triggers. • One such polyunsaturated fatty acid is arachidonic acid.
COX Enzymes • The COX (cyclooxygenase) enzyme occurs in two forms: • 1. COX-1 catalyzes the normal physiological production of prostaglandins. • 2. COX-2 is responsible for the production of prostaglandins in inflammation. • Tissue is injured or damaged, special inflammatory cells invade the injured tissue and interact with resident cells, e.g. smooth muscle cells or skin. • This interaction activates COX-2 and prostaglandins are synthesized. Aspirin helps relieve this anti-inflammatory response By inhibiting the production of prostaglandins . . .
Thromboxanes • Thromboxanes are also derived from arachidonic acid. • Thromboxane A2 induces platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. • Aspirin and other NSAIDs inhibit the synthesis of thromboxanes by inhibiting the COX enzyme.
Challenge Questions How Does Aspirin prevent strokes caused by blood clots in the brain? NOTE: Doctors recommend 81mg/ day for people at risk for Heart Attack or stroke. . .
Leukotrienes • Leukotrienes are also synthesized from arachidonic acid. • They occur mainly in leukocytes. • They produce muscle contractions, especially in the lungs and thereby can cause asthma-like attacks. • In this regard, they are 100 times more potent than histamine. • Several recently-developed anti-asthma drugs inhibit the synthesis of leukotrienes.