The Sound of Evolution
Cyproterone
Mechanism of action:
Cyproterone competitively binds to the androgen receptor (AR), blocking the actions of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), thereby reducing androgen responsiveness in tissues such as hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and the prostate. Because it also has progestogenic activity, cyproterone can suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (H-P-G) axis, reduce the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and thereby inhibit testosterone synthesis in the testes.
Reference(s):
1. Giorgi EP et al. (1973). Androgen dynamics in vitro in the human prostate gland: Effect of cyproterone and cyproterone acetate. Biochem J.
2. Pham-Huu-Trung MT et al. (1984). Effects of cyproterone acetate on adrenal steroidogenesis in vitro. Horm Res.