Drugs Acting on Sex Hormones

Muralinath E., Pooja Devi, Prasanta Chbukdhara, Sanjib Borah, Kalyan C., Archana Jain, Guruprasad M.
2024 · doi:10.5281/zenodo.10553923 · W6967276899
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⚙ AI-generated summary by gemini-2.5-flash-lite, 2026-07-17 ⓘ

This review discusses drugs that modulate sex hormones, including SERMs, androgen blockers, GnRH agonists, oral contraceptives, SARMs, and anti-androgens, for various physiological and health conditions.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-07, 2026-07-17 · read from full text ⓘ

This paper is an overview of drugs acting on sex hormones, describing how estrogen, androgen, and related targets are manipulated by different drug classes to affect physiological and reproductive processes. It summarizes roles and examples including SERMs (e.g., tamoxifen acting as an estrogen antagonist in breast tissue), androgen blockers (e.g., spironolactone for PCOS and hirsutism), GnRH agonists (e.g., leuprolide for endometriosis and prostatic cancer), and oral contraceptives that prevent ovulation and alter cervical mucus. It also notes other hormone-targeting agents such as SARMs, anti-androgens (e.g., cyproterone acetate), and therapies related to menopause symptoms and bone density loss, presenting the field as diverse and evolving. Relevance to endometriosis: the paper explicitly lists endometriosis as one of the conditions managed by GnRH agonists such as leuprolide, though the paper’s main focus is a broad review of sex-hormone–acting drugs across multiple conditions.

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Abstract

Sex hormones play a role in controlling many physiological processes. An estrogen, a female sex hormone, plays a critical role in the bone health, maintaining the reproduction and role in the menstrual cycle. Drugs such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) can modulate estrogen activity. Tamoxifen, used in breast cancer treatment, acts as an estrogen antagonist in breast tissue, obstructing the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors. Androgen blockers, such as spiranolactone, are useful in treating poly cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women and hirsuitism (excessive hair growth) in both genders. GnRH agonists such as leuprolide are helpful in managing conditions namely endometriosis as well as prostatic cancer. Oral contraceptives are helpful in controlling hormonal fluctuations and stop unwanted pregnancies. These drugs specifically consist of a combination of estrogen and progestin, which stop ovulation and alter cervical mucus that causes a hostile environment particularly for sperm. Contraceptives are available in various forms namely injections, pills and patches. Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) show useful impact in treating conditions specifically muscle squandering sicknesses and osteoporosis. Anti-androgens like cyproterone acetate are useful in contracting the effects of elevated androgen levels. Menopause can result in various symptoms namely hot flashes and bone density loss. It is finally concluded that the drugs acting on sex hormones is diverse and continually evolving, offering innovative solutions to address hormonal substances, reproduction health issues also.
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Drugs Acting on Sex Hormones Authors/Creators Description Sex hormones play a role in controlling many physiological processes. An estrogen, a female sex hormone, plays a critical role in the bone health, maintaining the reproduction and role in the menstrual cycle. Drugs such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) can modulate estrogen activity. Tamoxifen, used in breast cancer treatment, acts as an estrogen antagonist in breast tissue, obstructing the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors. Androgen blockers, such as spiranolactone, are useful in treating poly cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women and hirsuitism (excessive hair growth) in both genders. GnRH agonists such as leuprolide are helpful in managing conditions namely endometriosis as well as prostatic cancer. Oral contraceptives are helpful in controlling hormonal fluctuations and stop unwanted pregnancies. These drugs specifically consist of a combination of estrogen and progestin, which stop ovulation and alter cervical mucus that causes a hostile environment particularly for sperm. Contraceptives are available in various forms namely injections, pills and patches. Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) show useful impact in treating conditions specifically muscle squandering sicknesses and osteoporosis. Anti-androgens like cyproterone acetate are useful in contracting the effects of elevated androgen levels. Menopause can result in various symptoms namely hot flashes and bone density loss. It is finally concluded that the drugs acting on sex hormones is diverse and continually evolving, offering innovative solutions to address hormonal substances, reproduction health issues also. Files DRUGS ACTING ON SEX HORMONES -Formatted Paper.pdf Files (249.4 kB) | Name | Size | Download all | |---|---|---| | md5:080fc2ff1255a9ac93e62c94451bddbc | 249.4 kB | Preview Download | Additional details References - 1. Lusetti, M., Licata, M., Silingardi, E., Bonsignore, A., & Palmiere, C. (2018). Appearance/image-and performance-enhancing drug users: A forensic approach. The American journal of forensic medicine and pathology, 39(4), 325-329. - 2. Jones, I. A., Togashi, R., Hatch III, G. F. R., Weber, A. E., & Vangsness Jr, C. T. (2018). Anabolic steroids and tendons: A review of their mechanical, structural, and biologic effects. Journal of Orthopaedic Research®, 36(11), 2830-2841. - 3. Armstrong, J. M., Avant, R. A., Charchenko, C. M., Westerman, M. E., Ziegelmann, M. J., Miest, T. S., & Trost, L. W. (2018). Impact of anabolic androgenic steroids on sexual function. Translational andrology and urology, 7(3), 483. - 4. Junior, A. F. M., Dalpiaz, P. L., Sousa, G. J., Oliveira, P. W. C., Birocale, A. M., Andrade, T. U., ... & Bissoli, N. S. (2018). Nandrolone alter left ventricular contractility and promotes remodelling involving calcium-handling proteins and renin-angiotensin system in male SHR. Life sciences, 208, 239-245. - 5. Zhou, S., & Glowacki, J. (2018). Dehydroepiandrosterone and bone. In Vitamins and hormones (Vol. 108, pp. 251-271). Academic Press. - 6. Garner, O., Iardino, A., Ramirez, A., & Yakoby, M. (2018). Cardiomyopathy induced by anabolic-androgenic steroid abuse. Case Reports, 2018, bcr-2017. - 7. Costanzo, P. R., Pacenza, N. A., Aszpis, S. M., Suárez, S. M., Pragier, U. M., Usher, J. G. S., ... & Knoblovits, P. (2018). Clinical and etiological aspects of gynecomastia in adult males: a multicenter study. BioMed Research International, 2018. - 8. Moretti, S., Lega, F., Rigoni, L., Saluti, G., Giusepponi, D., Gioiello, A., ... & Galarini, R. (2018). Multiclass screening method to detect more than fifty banned substances in bovine bile and urine. Analytica Chimica Acta, 1032, 56-67. - 9. Dahmani, H., Louati, K., Hajri, A., Bahri, S., & Safta, F. (2018). Development of an extraction method for anabolic androgenic steroids in dietary supplements and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: application for doping-control. Steroids, 138, 134-160. - 10. Smit, D. L., & de Ronde, W. (2018). Outpatient clinic for users of anabolic androgenic steroids: an overview. Neth J Med, 76(4), 167.

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