Mechanism of Hepatoxiciy?

Why are certain oral steroids more toxic than others? Say I take 10mg of oxandrolone vs. 10mg methyltestosterone vs. 10mg stanozolol, they don’t have the same toxic effect on the liver even though they are all C-17 methylated.

Is it just the structure of the molecule itself that makes it harder/easier to demethylate it? From my background in organic chemistry the difference in hepatoxicity wouldn’t seem to have the magnitude that it does due to this. Anyone have more insight?

I thought that what you described would be the key difference, but I noticed the three I listed are all methylated, and they are certainly different in toxicity.

I can’t contribute here gents but hope you’ll keep this, and threads like it, going. I learn a lot just following your discussions!

Hi Guys,

I no virtually nothing about Organic Chemistree apart from how to spell it.

So I’m guessing here, so please don’t kill me if it’s bs.

I’ve done a lot of reading on the human cytochrome. There’s an ever growing list of around 3000 different enzymes which metabolize different substrates.

Some substrates are promiscuos, they will quite happily dock with the active site of more than one enzyme.

Some substrates inhibit the enzyme as they are metabolized.

Some substrates having a longer dwell time whilst docked.

I’ve heard and read that everybody has a different enzyme profile so I guess that’s why some things work for some and not others.

I can’t find which enzymes metabolize the substrates in the post, but it may be that some combo’s overload certain enzymes.

Sorry if you guys new this already

www.mindandmuscle.net/mindandmuscle/magpage.php?artID=16

Here is an interesting article discussing this topic. I found it to be insightful.

[quote]Talisker1 wrote:
[/quote]

You just took the long way of explaining that everyone is different and the human body is more complex than our understanding can currently handle. It is also the reason why there is a lot of speculation and inexact science in biochemistry and pharmacology.

Cheers Bushy

I think I’ll stick to just reading posts for a while, don’t want to get slapped down too many times - even if it was a mild one! :slight_smile:

[quote]Talisker1 wrote:
Cheers Bushy

I think I’ll stick to just reading posts for a while, don’t want to get slapped down too many times - even if it was a mild one! :-)[/quote]

Obvious or not (to some it isn’t), your post was a legitimate contribution. Don’t wait until you know everything to start posting or you’ll never get around to it. Even guys “in the know” are lost sometimes. It’s always good to have more people contributing.