This is a list of neurosteroids, or natural and synthetic steroids that are active on the mammalian nervous system through receptors other than steroid hormone receptors. It includes inhibitory, excitatory, and neurotrophic neurosteroids as well as pheromones and vomeropherines. In contrast to steroid hormones, neurosteroids have rapid, non-genomic effects through interactions with membrane steroid receptors and can quickly influence central nervous system function.
The following are proneurosteroids:
The following are proneurosteroids:
The following are proneurosteroids:
The following are proneurosteroids:
Androsterone, or 3α-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one, is an endogenous steroid hormone, neurosteroid, and putative pheromone. It is a weak androgen with a potency that is approximately 1/7 that of testosterone. Androsterone is a metabolite of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In addition, it can be converted back into DHT via 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, bypassing conventional intermediates such as androstanedione and testosterone, and as such, can be considered to be a metabolic intermediate in its own right.
Pregnenolone (P5), or pregn-5-en-3β-ol-20-one, is an endogenous steroid and precursor/metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of most of the steroid hormones, including the progestogens, androgens, estrogens, glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids. In addition, pregnenolone is biologically active in its own right, acting as a neurosteroid.
Androstenol, also known as 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol, is a 16-androstene class steroidal pheromone and neurosteroid in humans and other mammals, notably pigs. It possesses a characteristic musk-like odor.
Allopregnanolone is a naturally occurring neurosteroid which is made in the body from the hormone progesterone. As a medication, allopregnanolone is referred to as brexanolone, sold under the brand name Zulresso, and used to treat postpartum depression. It is given by injection into a vein.
Pregnanolone, also known as eltanolone, is an endogenous inhibitory neurosteroid which is produced in the body from progesterone. It is closely related to allopregnanolone, which has similar properties.
3α-Androstanediol also known as 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol and sometimes shortened in the literature to 3α-diol, is an endogenous steroid hormone and neurosteroid and a metabolite of androgens like dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Pregnanediol, or 5β-pregnane-3α,20α-diol, is an inactive metabolic product of progesterone. A test can be done to measure the amount of pregnanediol in urine, which offers an indirect way to measure progesterone levels in the body.
5α-Dihydroprogesterone is an endogenous progestogen and neurosteroid that is synthesized from progesterone. It is also an intermediate in the synthesis of allopregnanolone and isopregnanolone from progesterone.
Pregnenolone sulfate is an endogenous excitatory neurosteroid that is synthesized from pregnenolone. It is known to have cognitive and memory-enhancing, antidepressant, anxiogenic, and proconvulsant effects.
In pharmacology, GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators, also known as GABAkines or GABAA receptor potentiators, are positive allosteric modulator (PAM) molecules that increase the activity of the GABAA receptor protein in the vertebrate central nervous system.
Isopregnanolone, also known as isoallopregnanolone and epiallopregnanolone, as well as sepranolone, and as 3β-hydroxy-5α-pregnan-20-one or 3β,5α-tetrahydroprogesterone (3β,5α-THP), is an endogenous neurosteroid and a natural 3β-epimer of allopregnanolone. It has been reported to act as a subunit-selective negative allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor, and antagonizes in animals and humans some but not all of the GABAA receptor-mediated effects of allopregnanolone, such as anesthesia, sedation, and reduced saccadic eye movements, but not learning impairment. Isopregnanolone has no hormonal effects and appears to have no effect on the GABAA receptor by itself; it selectively antagonizes allopregnanolone and does not affect the effects of other types of GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates.
Epipregnanolone, also known as 3β-hydroxy-5β-pregnan-20-one, 3β,5β-tetrahydroprogesterone, or 3β,5β-THP, is an endogenous neurosteroid. It acts as a negative allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor and reverses the effects of potentiators like allopregnanolone. Epipregnanolone is biosynthesized from progesterone by the actions of 5β-reductase and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, with 5β-dihydroprogesterone as the intermediate in this two-step transformation.
5β-Dihydroprogesterone is an endogenous neurosteroid and an intermediate in the biosynthesis of pregnanolone and epipregnanolone from progesterone. It is synthesized from progesterone by the enzyme 5β-reductase.
3α-Dihydroprogesterone (3α-DHP), also known as 3α-hydroxyprogesterone, as well as pregn-4-en-3α-ol-20-one, is an endogenous neurosteroid. It is biosynthesized by 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from progesterone. 3α-DHP has been found to act as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor and is described as being as active as allopregnanolone in regard to this action. In accordance, it has anxiolytic effects in animals. 3α-DHP has also been found to inhibit the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the rat pituitary gland, demonstrating possible antigonadotropic properties. Unlike the case of most other inhibitory neurosteroids, 3α-DHP production is not blocked by 5α-reductase inhibitors like finasteride. No data were available on the progestogenic activity of 3α-DHP as of 1977. Levels of 5α-DHP have been quantified.
3β-Dihydroprogesterone (3β-DHP), also known as 3β-hydroxyprogesterone, or pregn-4-en-3β-ol-20-one, is an endogenous steroid. It is biosynthesized by 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from progesterone. Unlike 3α-dihydroprogesterone (3α-DHP), 3β-DHP does not act as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor, which is in accordance with the fact that other 3β-hydroxylated progesterone metabolites such as isopregnanolone and epipregnanolone similarly do not act as potentiators of this receptor and instead inhibit it as well as reverse the effects of potentiators like allopregnanolone. 3β-DHP has been reported to possess about the same potency as progesterone in a bioassay of progestogenic activity, whereas 3α-DHP was not assessed.
Allopregnanediol, or 5α-pregnane-3α,20α-diol, is an endogenous metabolite of progesterone and allopregnanolone and an isomer of pregnanediol (5β-pregnan-3α,20α-diol). It has been found to act like a partial agonist of an allosteric site of the GABA receptor and hence might play a biological role as a neurosteroid. It has also been found to act as an agonist of the human pregnane X receptor, albeit with an EC50 that is more than an order of magnitude lower than that of other endogenous pregnanes like pregnenolone, pregnanediol, allopregnanedione, and allopregnanolone.
Pregnenolone succinate is a synthetic pregnane steroid and an ester of pregnenolone which is described as a glucocorticoid and anti-inflammatory drug and has been patented and marketed as a topical medication in the form of a cream for the treatment of allergic, pruritic, and inflammatory dermatitis. It has also been described as a non-hormonal sterol, having neurosteroid activity, and forming a progesterone analogue via dehydrogenation.
Pregnanediol may refer to:
5α-Pregnane-3α,17α-diol-20-one, also known as 17α-hydroxyallopregnanolone (17-OH-allo) is an endogenous steroid.