Androsterone

Androsterone (ADT) is a steroid hormone with weak androgenic activity. It is made in the liver from the metabolism of testosterone. Its beta-isomer is Epiandrosterone.

History
It was first isolated in 1931, by Adolf Friedrich Johann Butenandt and Kurt Tscherning. They distilled over 17000 litres of male urine, from which they got 50 milligrams of crystalline androsterone, which was sufficient to find that the chemical formula was very similar to estrone.

Effects
Androsterone is often advertised as influencing human behavior, but there is little data to substantiate its use as a pheromone.

Synthesis
Androsterone and its 3β isomer, epiandrosterone, are naturally produced by an enzyme 5α-reductase from the adrenal hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Androsterone can also be converted from the natural steroids 5α-androstanediol via 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase or from 5α-androstanedione via 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

Synonyms
Synonyms include 3α-hydroxy-17-androstanone; 3α-Hydroxy-5-α-androstan-17-one; 3α-hydroxyetioallocholan-17-one; 3α-hydroxy-17-androstanone; 3α-hydroxyetioallocholan-17-one; 3α-hydroxy-17-androstanone; 3α-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one; 3α-hydroxyetioallocholan-17-one