title: Tetrahydrogestrinone is a potent androgen and progestin.
abstract: Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) was recently identified as a novel steroid used illicitly to improve athletic performance. Although its structure is closely related to gestrinone, a 19-nor progestin, and resembles that of trenbolone, THG was never marketed, so information on its hormonal properties is not known. In this study, we demonstrate that THG is a highly potent androgen and progestin in a yeast-based in vitro bioassay system expressing human androgen and progesterone receptors. It has no estrogenic activity and no antagonism for any of the three steroid receptor classes.
authors.affiliation: Heart Research Institute, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales 2050, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Death
authors.forename: Kristine C Y
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Rymantas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kazlauskas
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Handelsman
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001681:Biological Assay; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005867:Gestrinone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009277:Nandrolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D014204:Trenbolone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015003:Yeasts
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D011372:Progestins; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D005867:Gestrinone; C479553:tetrahydrogestrinone; D009277:Nandrolone; D014204:Trenbolone Acetate