On October 27, 2017,world health organizationThe list of carcinogens published by the International Agency for Research on Cancer is preliminarily collated and referenced. Androgen (anabolic) steroids are included in the list of Category 2A carcinogens.
In 1990, Congress passed the Anabolic Steroid Control Act, which classified 27 kinds of steroids as drugs in Schedule II of the Controlled Drugs Act.As a result, the market price of the drug increased significantly.The health club has always been the sales center of steroids, and weight lifting and bodybuilding enthusiasts are the main groups of steroid abuse.Since then, steroids have spread among professional and amateur athletes and even among middle school and high school boys.
Steroids are smuggled from some European countries and Mexico to the United States. Generally, steroids are smuggled from Eastern Europe and Russia to the United States by individuals and large drug traffickers.Because of the lack of international control over the supply of foreign drug sources, it is almost impossible for the United States to combat drug trafficking from the source.Research shows that over time, steroids can make a person's health pay a heavy price.Abuse of oral or injectable steroids will increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Most people who abuse oral steroids will increase the risk of liver disease.When steroid abusers share needles or use non sterile techniques to inject steroids, they are at risk of contracting HIV or AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, bacterial endocarditis and other diseases.
steroid
According to the statistics of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the abuse of synthetic steroids can also cause some adverse changes in the body.These changes include breast development, male genital atrophy, masculinization of female body, and acne and alopecia in both sexes[1]。
chemical property
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steroid
It is composed of three hexacarbon cyclohexanes (A, B, C) and onePentacarbon ring(D) Consists of fused tetracyclic compounds.The sequence of carbon atom numbering is shown in.
The number and position of double bonds in various natural steroid molecules, the type, number and position of substituent groups, and theconfigurationThe configurations between rings are different.
The six carbon rings A, B and C in the natural steroid molecules all assume the "chair" conformation (cyclohexane structure), which is the most stable conformation (the only exception isestrogenThe A-ring in the molecule is the aromatic ring with planar conformation).
The junction between ring A and ring B can be cis or trans, while the C/D junction is generally trans;onlyCardiac glycosideandToad poisonIs an exception.
steroid
Substitution of carbon atoms in the four ring skeleton connected to steroidsGroupThe orientation of is represented by α - or β -: those located above the skeleton plane are represented by β (solid line), and those located below are represented by α (dotted line).For example: cholesterol molecule C-3hydroxylThe two angular methyl groups and side chains of C-18 and C-19 are β - oriented.
Steroid parent compounds are usually saturatedhydrocarbon。According to IUP-AC-IUB's systematic naming principle, the category, number and orientation of steroid substituent groups are systematically described based on the name of parent compound, plus the prefix and suffix.
In addition, since 1930, many kinds of sterols and their metabolites have been isolated from animals, plants and other organismscholesterol、testosterone、Stigmasterol）, structural features or biological functions, some of which are still adopted.For example, the system name of cholesterol is cholester-5-ene-3 β · alcohol, and the system name of testosterone is 17 β - hydroxy - androstene-4-en-3-one;The systematic name of stigmasterol is stigmaster-5,22-diene-3 β - alcohol;The systematic name of pregnanediol is 5 β pregnane-3 α, 20 α - diol.
Steroid synthesis
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Other work done by Julian's lab led to Julian's research on steroids.When Julian tried to isolate physostigmine from Galapagos beans as early as in Diebold University, he got an oil and washed it with acids.A few weeks later, Julian found crystals in the oil.Further analysis shows that this crystallization is actually the hydrate of stigmasterol.Sterols are chemical substances, most of which belong to unsaturated alcohols like cholesterol;It is usually found in the tissues of animals and plants.The body uses steroids to produce steroid hormones, which are important in various activities of the body and play an important role in regulating metabolism, sexual maturity and development.The pharmaceutical industry also uses steroids to synthesize steroid hormones.In the past, people extracted sterols from animal bile, but it was expensive to kill thousands of animals in order to get related drugs for a patient to cure a disease for a year.Julian knew that if sterols could be extracted from soybean oil, it would greatly benefit mankind, but it was difficult to separate them in practice.When he was at Gliden, Julian's whole energy was occupied by this matter.
One day in 1940, Julian suddenly noticed that a barrel of soybean oil was mixed with water to form a white substance, which reminded him of the crystals formed in the Galaba soybean oil.Julian later discovered the method of extracting sterols from soybean oil through further research on this oil.This method first converts sterols into a kind of empty foam, and then further separates them.Later, he found the best way to synthesize progesterone and testosterone from soybean oil in the laboratory.Progesterone progesterone is a hormone produced in large quantities during pregnancy, mainly used to maintain the position of the uterus.So progesterone was used to prevent abortion, progesterone was used to treat reproductive system problems, such as premenstrual syndrome and irregular menstruation, and it was also a component of fertility control drugs.Testosterone is a male hormone, which plays an important role in regulating sexual maturity, maintaining reproductive capacity and generating sexual impulse.Previously, these two substances could only be extracted from a large number of testes or ovaries, or from cholesterol in the brain and spinal cord of cattle.Therefore, Julian's discovery is undoubtedly a great progress.
In 1948, researchers found that the detachable body could alleviate the symptoms of arthritis.Corponema is a kind of hormone that is structurally related to progesteroneprogesteroneandtestosteroneAnother kind of steroid hormone that is very relevant.The cancellable body is secreted by the outermost cortex of the accessory kidney gland (the accessory kidney gland is located above the kidney).The loose body can adjust the level of sugar and salt in the body, and help the body react normally under pressure.The loose body can alleviate inflammation symptoms, and is very effective for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis caused by inflammation at the joint edge.Unfortunately, it is very expensive to extract loose body from bile acid, and it costs tens of thousands of dollars to obtain an ounce of loose body.Julian took the extraction of progesterone from beans as an example to prove that these useful substances can be obtained at a small cost.Later, Julian synthesized deoxycortosterol from progesterone.In 1952, Apjohn Company found that this missing oxygen atom could be added by microbiological methods, and then the demand for progesterone and deoxycortosterol rose sharply.The deoxycortosterol synthesized by Julian provides a simple and inexpensive treatment opportunity for many patients suffering from various diseases.The synthetic loose body is also widely used to make advanced ointment for treating itching caused by mosquitoes and poisonous plants.
In 1950, Percy Julian was elected as Chicago's Person of the Year, but he still had to fight against racial discrimination.Julian's house in the white community of Chicago Oak Park was deliberately set on fire the day before he moved in.In order to ensure the water supply at home, he even had to threaten to use legal means.After Julian's family moved into the community, someone threw explosives into his house, which fell right under the window of Julian's children's bedroom.In 1951, Julian was refused access to a private luncheon held in Chicago for famous scientists and entrepreneurs.But Julian never retreated and became an outspoken defender of the civil rights movement[2]。
Category function
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Sterols
Sterols: It is widely distributed in the biological world, characterized by a β - hydroxy group at the third carbon atom and a side chain at position 17.Some sterols also have Δ 5 double bonds.There is also a double bond on the side chain of sterols from animal embryonic tissues and skin and plant sterols such as stigmasterol.Sterols exist in the form of free (non esterified) or fatty acid esters in organisms.
Sterol is a colorless waxy solid, soluble in organic solvents such as ether, chloroform, benzene and hot ethanol, insoluble in water, and cannot be saponified.
①Animal sterol
cholesterol, also known as cholesterol, is an important component of vertebrate cellsNervous tissueandadrenal glandIt has the highest content (wet weight percentage) in the heart, the lowest content in the liver, kidney and skin.Gallstones in the human body are mainly composed of cholesterol.
The content of cholesterol in normal human plasma is 150-250 mg per 100 ml, and the ratio of free to esterified is about 1:3.The main esterified fatty acids arelinoleic acid, followed byoleic acid, followed by saturated acids (mainlypalmitic acid）, andArachidonic acid。
The cholesterol content in human red blood cells is about 100 mg per 100 ml of hematocrit cells, almost all free cholesterol;It is in dynamic balance with plasma free cholesterol.Nerve tissue mainly contains free cholesterol and does not exchange with other cholesterol reservoirs in the body.The adrenal gland and gonad are rich in esterified cholesterol.
Mammalian cell(except mature red blood cells) can synthesize cholesterol, but the rate of synthesis varies greatly.The liver and small intestine are the main sites for synthesis.Animals can also get cholesterol from food.Its physiological function has not been fully understood.
Cholesterol is a component of cell membrane and organelle membrane,red blood cell、HepatocyteThe plasma membrane of myelin sheath contains a considerable amount of cholesterol;It regulates the physical state of biomembrane lipids and maintains membrane fluidity.myelin sheath It contains a lot of cholesterol.It is related tomyelin sheathThe formation, maintenance of stability and function have a certain relationship.In addition, cholesterol is also syntheticbile acidandSteroid hormonePrecursor of.7-dehydrocholesterolIt exists under the skin of animals and can be converted into vitamin D3 under ultraviolet light.
②Plant sterol
Plant sterolIt is an important component of plant cells and cannot be absorbed and utilized by passive objects.StigmasterolandSitosterolBoth are derivatives of stigmasterane, two more carbon atoms than cholesterol, and one ethyl on C-24.
③Yeast sterol
Ergosterol is the main sterol component of yeast and ergot.Containing 28 carbon atomsSteroid compound。It is converted into vitamin D2 by ultraviolet irradiation.Vitamin D plays a key role in the balance of calcium and phosphorus in animals.
Bile acid Bile alcohol
bile acidandBiliolIt is the degradation product of cholesterol in mammals and other vertebrates.The bile of higher vertebrates (mammals, birds, snakes) contains C24 bile acid, which forms bile salts in combination with taurine or glycine.Bile of lower primitive vertebrates contains C27 bile acid and/or C26 or C27 bile alcohol, some of which form esters with sulfuric acid, and some form taurineConjugated bile salt。From the perspective of biological evolution, Haselwood proposed that the evolution of animals was related to the molecular evolution trend of bile alcohol and bile acid.The molecular evolution process is as follows: C27 (and C26) alcohols（Sulfate ester）→ C27 acid (andtaurineCombined compound) → C24 acid (compound combined with taurine) → C24 acid (andglycineThe physiological function of bile salts is to secrete them into the intestine to promote the emulsification and absorption of lipids.Some liver diseases and obstructive jaundice causebileDecreased secretion affects the digestion and absorption of lipids.
Steroid hormone
Steroid Hormones: Insect and CrustaceanEcdysoneIt's cholestanederivativeThe structure is characterized by double bonds between C-7 and C-8, C-6 keto group, 2 β, 3 β, 14 α hydroxyl group and C-22 and C-25 hydroxyl groups on the side chain.The insect's prothymus gland and the crustacean's Y organ secrete ecdysone, which is necessary for ecdysis and growth regulation.Plants also have powerful ecdysone analogues, which haveErgotSterane and stigmasterane side chain structure.
Cardiac glycosides: Many kinds of plants contain derivatives of cardiac glycosides, which are also steroid compounds, and usually exist in nature in the form of glycosides.The medicinal cardiac glycosides include digitalis toxin, preserved flavin and digoxin;Its role is to strengthenMyocardial contractility, makeheart rateSlowing down is used to control heart failure.
Toad poison
Toad poisonIt is a defensive toxin secreted by the skin gland of toad and has the same effect as digitalis toxin.Toad toxin is a derivative of bufo lactide, usually in the form of ester.
Saponin ligand
Saponins ligand: It exists in plants and is a derivative of spirostane. It can synthesize glycosides, i.e. saponins, through 3 β - hydroxy and glycosylation.It is named because it can form soap like solution and has surface activity.
Anabolism
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Anabolic steroids are similar to synthetic malessex hormone。They are a kind ofAndrogenA chemically synthesized derivative similar to testosterone.The role of anabolism can improve the growth of skeletal muscle, and the role of male sex hormones can make male sexual characteristics more obvious.
All synthetic androgen steroids are associated withtestosteroneSimilar chemical structure.In addition to increasing muscle mass and strength, and maintaining muscle volume when actively or passively losing weight, these drugs also have the function of androgen.
In addition, it can also speed up the recovery after training, helping to increase the intensity and time of training.However, if systematic strength training is not carried out at the same time, taking such drugs will not have the effect of muscle growth.
Anabolic steroids were first used to treat hypogonadism in 1930（testisIt cannot produce enough testosterone to meet the needs of growth and sexual function).Later, it is mainly used to treat late puberty, impotence, etc.
In the 1930s, scientists found that anabolic steroids were beneficial to the growth of skeletal muscles in animal experiments. Then bodybuilders and weightlifters began to take anabolic steroids. Finally, many sports began to take anabolic steroids.
Nowadays, steroids are widely used in sports, which seriously affects the results and fairness of sports competitions.More than 100 anabolic steroids have been developed in the United States, most of which are illegal, some are smuggled into the United States, and some are developed and produced by some pharmaceutical factories or secret laboratories.
In the United States, people can legally buy something similar toDehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA) and androstenedione (Andro).Although they are not food, they are often used as nutritional supplements because many people think they have the effect of steroids.Steroid supplements can be converted into male sex hormones (testosterone).But whether this transformation can produce enough sex hormones or whether it can bring about muscle growth is still unknown, so the side effects of steroid supplements are also unknown.But one thing is certain, if a large amount of this tonic can improve the bodytestosteroneLevel, then, they will also have anabolic steroid like side effects.
Consequences of abuse
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Consequences of anabolic steroid abuse: steroid abuse can bring many side effects.It can cause acne, acne, male breast enlargement;In serious cases, it may pose a threat to life, such as heart disease and liver cancer.If stopped in time, most side effects can be reversed, but some side effects are permanent.
hormone
Steroids severely damage the hormone system in the body.Steroids seriously disrupt the production of normal hormones in the body, causing irreversible or irreversible physical changes.The recoverable physical changes include the amount of semen and the reduction of testicles;Irreparable physical changes include male hormone depletion and breast enlargement.
skeletal muscle
Steroids severely damage the skeletal muscle system.Increasing testosterone and other sex hormones can make teenagers grow up very fast.However, when the hormone reaches a certain level, it will stop the growth of bones, and there will never be any change in height.
cardiovascular
Steroids severely damage the cardiovascular system.Steroids can cause cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.Because it can change the level of lipoproteins in the body (lipoproteins play a role in bringing cholesterol into the blood).In particular, oral steroids can increase the level of low concentration lipoproteins, but reduce the level of high concentration lipoproteins, which will make lipids stored in arteries and hinder blood circulation.If the blood cannot reach the heart normally, it will cause a heart attack;If the blood cannot reach the brain normally, it will cause a stroke.In addition, steroids can also cause blood clots in the blood vessels, seriously hampering the normal flow of blood and destroying the normal blood supply of the myocardium.
liver
Effects of steroids on liver.Steroids can induce tumors and blood cysts in the liver.If they break, it will cause visceral bleeding.
skin
The effect of steroids on the skin.Steroids can cause acne, acne, dense cells, hair and skin oil.
Steroids can cause a series of infectious diseases.Many steroid users do not have certain sanitary conditions and injection techniques for injection or share needles with others.In addition, some steroids are unsanitary during production.These factors can bring great threat to the life of users.Such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.In addition, the user may also suffer from infective endocarditis, which can cause fatal inflammation of the heart and abscess at the injection site.
behavior
The effect of steroids on human behavior.According to scientific research, steroid users, especially high-dose users, usually behave very irritable and have a strong tendency to violence.
harm
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The scientific name of steroids is“adrenal cortexPrime ".Normal humanadrenal glandA certain amount of steroids will be secreted every day to maintain normal physiological functions in the body, such as regulationBlood sugarMetabolism of protein, fat, and electrolyte, which is an essential hormone to maintain life.
Steroids are very good drugs in clinical practice, and they can indeed be widely used to treat manydifficult miscellaneous diseasesSpecial diseases, including cancerCerebral edema, chronic lung diseaserheumatism, asthma, premature infants with immature lungs, skin diseasesshock、septicemia, andmeningitisAnd so on, almost to the condition of being disease free and unavailable;Moreover, it will indeed alleviate many symptoms and temporarily relieve them. Therefore, it is also known as the "elixir", so it is inevitable that some unworthy medical personnel will abuse it on various diseases.
It is well known that Chinese people like to take medicine to repair their health. However, any medicine has its hidden side effects, and you should never buy it by yourself.There are many side effects of steroids, includingGastric bleeding, susceptible to infectiondiabetes, obesityosteoporosis, growth retardation, moon face [edema]edema, acne increase, etc.
People need to be more alert to unknown powders, black pills, even incense ashes, holy water, etc., so in the past experience, this kind of tonic or patent medicine has been the most tested to contain steroids.As steroids are prescribed by doctors, they can only be used by patients after they are prescribed by doctors. Therefore, they cannot be displayed and sold in pharmacies at will.
Steroids are not "poisons" to avoid. Of course, they should not be misused as "elixirs" to cure all diseases. In particular, short-term use is not likely to cause side effects, but if used in large quantities and for a long time, it may cause many bad problems.
treatment
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What methods are more effective in treating steroid diseases?
There are few reports on the treatment of steroid diseases.The current knowledge structure is only based on the experience of a small number of patients who have stopped using steroids.At the beginning of treatment, doctors will tell them about the reactions that will occur.If the reaction is strong or the time is too long, then drug treatment and hospitalization will be carried out.Some medications are designed to restore the hormonal system, while others are designed to minimizedepressionIt can reduce the pain of the head, muscles and joints.There are also some patients who need unconventional psychotherapy and drug treatment to try to alleviate their pain.
Steroid hormone molecules are small and fat soluble, and can enter the cell through the cell membrane, combine with the cytoplasmic receptor to form a complex, then enter the nucleus, combine with the nuclear receptor, regulate gene expression, and thus affect cell function and development.
Is the use of anabolic steroids addictive?
According to research, it has not been determined whether steroid use is addictive, but research shows that most users will continue to use steroids regardless of their own health problems.At the same time, they spent a lot of time and money on using steroids. Once they stopped using steroids, they would feel powerless, restless, no appetite, loss of sleep, and desire to use more steroids.However, the most dangerous symptom after discontinuation is depression and strong suicidal tendency. Even if there is no suicidal tendency, some users and discontinuers are depressed in a year or more.
A new discovery of abortion treatment shows that,Multiple miscarriagesTwenty five percent of women can save this pain with a simple steroid treatment.
At the British Association meeting in LiverpoolUniversity of LiverpoolAnd Doctor Quinby of Liverpool Women's HospitalNatural killer cellsAbortion and IVFEmbryo implantationReason for failure.These cells are beneficial to most organs of the human body, but in the uterus, if their content is too high, it will promote the rapid growth of blood vessels.
Blood vessels carry extra oxygen and can cause miscarriage or prevent embryo implantation.Forty women were given steroid treatment by Doctor Quinby, and three quarters of them successfully delivered.They had miscarriages many times before.This treatment will reduce the number of natural killer cells in the uterus, which is also considered to increase the chances of successful embryo implantation.
The probability of miscarriage of women at the age of delivery ranges from 10% to 25%. For most healthy women, the average probability of miscarriage ranges from 15% to 20%.For expectant mothers, it is important to understand safe pregnancy and self-care methods, because it is a great responsibility to bring a new life to the world.Steroids are a godsend for couples who have suffered multiple abortions.
