An antiandrogen, or androgen antagonist, is any of a group of hormone antagonist compounds that are capable of preventing or inhibiting the biologic effects of androgens, male sex hormones, on normally responsive tissues in the body (see androgen insensitivity syndrome). Antiandrogens usually work by blocking the appropriate receptors, competing for binding sites on the cell's surface, obstructing the androgens' pathway. Androgen is the generic term for any natural or synthetic compound, usually a steroid hormone, that stimulates or controls the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. ... The shield and spear of the Roman God Mars are often used to represent the male sex In heterogamous species, male is the sex of an organism, or of a part of an organism, which typically produces smaller, mobile gametes (spermatozoa) that are able to fertilise female gametes (ova). ... A hormone (from Greek horman - to set in motion) is a chemical messenger from one cell (or group of cells) to another. ... Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a set of disorders of sexual differentiation that results from mutations of the gene encoding the androgen receptor. ... In biochemistry, a receptor is a protein on the cell membrane or within the cytoplasm or cell nucleus that binds to a specific molecule (a ligand), such as a neurotransmitter, hormone, or other substance, and initiates the cellular response to the ligand. ... Cells in culture, stained for keratin (red) and DNA (green). ...

Antiandrogens are often indicated to treat severe male sexual disorders, such as hypersexuality (excessive sexual desire) and sexual deviation, specifically paraphilias, as well as use as a antineoplastic agent and palliative, adjuvant or neoadjuvant hormonal therapy in prostate cancer. Hypersexuality describes a desire for human sexual behavior at levels high enough to be considered clinically significant. ... The word lust means sexual desire (this meaning is sometimes metaphorically extended to other forms of desire, e. ... Paraphilia (in Greek para παρά = over and philia φιλία = friendship) is a mental health term recently used to indicate sexual arousal in response to sexual objects or situations that are not part of societally normative arousal/activity patterns, or which may interfere with the capacity for reciprocal affectionate sexual activity. ... In psychology and sexology, paraphilia (in Greek para παρά = besides and -philia φιλία = love) is a term that describes sexual arousal in response to sexual objects or situations which may interfere with the capacity for reciprocal affectionate sexual activity. ... herbs that have the specific action of inhibiting and combating the development of tumors. ... Palliative care is any form of medical care or treatment that concentrates on reducing the severity of the symptoms of a disease or slows its progress rather than providing a cure. ... In medicine, adjuvants are agents which modify the effect of other agents while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. ... In medicine, adjuvants are agents which modify the effect of other agents while having few if any direct effects when given by themselves. ... In medicine, hormone therapy is the use of hormones in medical treatment and covers various types of hormones including growth hormones and sex hormones. ... Prostate cancer is a disease in which cancer develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. ...

Antiandrogens can also be used for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement), acne, androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness), and hirsutism (excessive hairiness). They are also occasionally used as a male contraceptive agent, to purposefully prevent or counteract masculinisation in the case of transwomen undergoing gender reassignment therapy, and to prevent the symptoms associated with reduced testosterone, such as hot flushes, following castration. BPH redirects here, It can also refer to the Break Permitted Here character in the C1 control code set. ... Baldness (formally alopecia) is the state of lacking hair where it usually would grow, especially on the head. ... Hirsutism is the excessive growth of hair, particularly on a womans face, torso and limbs, and is generally caused by increased androgens. ... Young Girl Fixing her Hair, by Sophie Gengembre Anderson Hair (latin pili) is a filamentous outgrowth of the skin found only in mammals. ... Male Contraceptive Male contraception refers to the process of inhibiting fertilization of the egg with the sperm using methods that deal solely (or primarily) with procedures applied to the male partner. ... Transwomen or trans women are transsexual or transgendered people who were assigned male sex at birth (or, in some cases of intersexuality, later) and feel that this is not an accurate or complete description of themselves. ... Gender reassignment therapy is an umbrella term for all medical procedures regarding gender reassignment of both transgender and intersexual people. ... Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. ... A hot flush (sometimes hot flash or night sweat) is a symptom of menopause and changing hormone levels which typically expresses itself at night as periods of intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat and may typically last from two to thirty minutes on each occasion. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The administration of antiandrogens in males can result in slowed or halted development or reversal of male secondary sex characteristics, reduced activity or function of the accessory male sex organs, and hyposexuality (diminished sexual desire or libido). A peafowl displays its secondary sexual characteristics (long, colored feathers). ... A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, narrowly defined, is any of those parts of the body (which are not always bodily organs according to the strict definition) which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in an complex organism; namely: Male: penis (notably the glans penis... The word lust means sexual desire (this meaning is sometimes metaphorically extended to other forms of desire, e. ... Libido in its common usage means sexual desire, however more technical definitions, such as found in the work of Carl Jung, are more general, referring to libido as the free creative, or psychic, energy an individual has to put toward personal development, or individuation. ...

The term antiandrogen withdrawal response (AAWR) describes the medical course taken when cancer cells adapt to feed on the antiandrogens rather than androgen, so that treatment must be halted in order to starve those cells thriving on the antiandrogens.

Currently available antiandrogen drugs (brand names in parentheses) include:

• Spironolactone (Aldactone, Spiritone), a synthetic 17-spirolactone corticosteroid, which is a renal competitive aldosterone antagonist in a class of pharmaceuticals called potassium-sparing diuretics, used primarily to treat low-renin hypertension, hypokalemia, and Conn's syndrome.
• Cyproterone acetate (Androcur, Climen, Diane 35, Ginette 35), a synthetic steroid, a potent antiandrogen that also possesses progestational properties.
• Flutamide (Eulexin), nilutamide (Anandron, Nilandron) and bicalutamide (Casodex), nonsteroidal, pure antiandrogens. Flutamide is the oldest and has more unwanted side effects than the others. Bicalutamide is the newest and has the least side effects.
• Ketoconazole (Nizoral), an imidazole derivative used as a broad-spectrum antifungal agent effective against a variety of fungal infections, side effects include serious liver damage and reduced levels of androgen from both the testicles and adrenal glands. Ketoconazole is a relatively weak antiandrogen.
• Finasteride (Proscar, Propecia) and dutasteride (Avodart), inhibitors of the 5-α-reductase enzyme that prevent the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Finasteride blocks only 5-α-reductase type II, dutasteride also blocks type I. They are not general antiandrogens in that they don't counteract the effects or production of other androgens than DHT.

Spironolactone (marketed as Aldactone or Spiritone) is a synthetic 17-lactone steroid which is a renal competitive aldosterone antagonist in a class of pharmaceuticals called potassium-sparing diuretics, used primarily to treat low-renin hypertension, hypokalemia, and Conns syndrome. ... In physiology, corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex. ... Aldosterone is a steroid hormone synthesized from cholesterol by the enzyme aldosterone synthase. ... Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmacon is drug, and logos is science) is the study of how chemical substances interfere with living systems. ... General Name, Symbol, Number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 39. ... A diuretic is any drug that elevates the rate of bodily urine excretion (diuresis). ... Renin, also known as angiotensinogenase, is a circulating enzyme (EC 3. ... For other forms of hypertension see hypertension (disambiguation) Hypertension or high blood pressure is a medical condition wherein the blood pressure is chronically elevated. ... Hypokalemia is a potentially fatal condition in which the body fails to retain sufficient potassium to maintain health. ... Conns syndrome is overproduction of the mineralocorticoid hormone aldosterone by the adrenal glands. ... Cyproterone acetate (Androcur®, Cyprostat®) is an antiandrogen, i. ... In chemistry, the phrase chemical synthesis appears to have one of two meanings. ... A steroid is a lipid characterized by a carbon skeleton with four fused rings. ... Progestagens (also spelled progestogens or gestagens) are hormones similar in effect to progesterone, the only natural progestagen. ... Flutamide is an oral antiandrogen drug primarily used to treat prostate cancer. ... Nilutamide is an antiandrogen medication used in the treatment of advanced stage prostate cancer. ... Bicalutamide is an oral non-steroidal anti-androgen for prostate cancer. ... Ketoconazole Ketoconazole is a synthetic antifungal drug used to prevent and treat skin and fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients such as those with AIDS. Due to its side-effect profile, it has been superseded by newer antifungals, such as fluconazole and itraconazole. ... Imidazole is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound. ... The liver is one of the largest internal organs of the human body. ... Human male anatomy The testicles, known medically as testes (singular testis), are the male generative glands in animals. ... Grays Fig. ... Where is Propecia? I am sure that the drug company which makes the drug keeps tabs here every hour to make sure that there is little written about it other than the chemical make-up and some of the side effects. ... Dutasteride inhibits the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. ... 5-alpha reductase is an enzyme (EC 1. ... Ribbon diagram of the catalytically perfect enzyme TIM. An enzyme is a protein that catalyzes, or speeds up, a chemical reaction. ... Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a biologically active metabolite of the hormone testosterone, formed primarily in the prostate gland, testes, hair follicles, and adrenal glands by the enzyme 5α-reductase by means of reducing the Δ4,5 double-bond. ...

See also

• GnRH agonist
• Baldness treatments