11β-Methyl-19-nortestosterone (11β-MNT) is a

synthetic Synthetic things are composed of multiple parts, often with the implication that they are artificial. In particular, 'synthetic' may refer to: Science * Synthetic chemical or compound, produced by the process of chemical synthesis * Synthetic ...

and

orally active Oral administration is a route of administration where a substance is taken through the mouth. Per os abbreviated to P.O. is sometimes used as a direction for medication to be taken orally. Many medications are taken orally because they are in ...

anabolic–androgenic steroid Anabolic steroids, also known more properly as anabolic–androgenic steroids (AAS), are steroidal androgens that include natural androgens like testosterone as well as synthetic androgens that are structurally related and have similar effects t ...

(AAS) and a

derivative In mathematics, the derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of the function value (output value) with respect to a change in its argument (input value). Derivatives are a fundamental tool of calculus. ...

nandrolone Nandrolone, also known as 19-nortestosterone, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) which is used in the form of esters such as nandrolone decanoate (brand name Deca-Durabolin) and nandrolone phenylpropionate (brand name Durabolin). Nandrolon ...

(19-nortestosterone) which was developed by the Contraceptive Development Branch (CDB) of the

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development The ''Eunice Kennedy Shriver'' National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) is one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It supports and conducts research aime ...

(NICHD) and has not been marketed at this time. The C17β dodecyl

carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate ...

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ...

of 11β-MNT, 11β-methyl-19-nortestosterone 17β-dodecylcarbonate (11β-MNTDC) (CDB-4754), is a

prodrug A prodrug is a medication or compound that, after intake, is metabolized (i.e., converted within the body) into a pharmacologically active drug. Instead of administering a drug directly, a corresponding prodrug can be used to improve how the dru ...

of 11β-MNT. Along with the closely related AAS

dimethandrolone Dimethandrolone (DMA), also known by its developmental code name CDB-1321, is an experimental androgen/anabolic steroid (AAS) and progestogen medication which is under investigation for potential clinical use. Dimethandrolone is an AAS, and he ...

(7α,11β-dimethyl-19-nortestosterone; CDB-1321) and its ester prodrug

dimethandrolone undecanoate Dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU), also known by its developmental code name CDB-4521, is an experimental androgen/anabolic steroid (AAS) and progestogen medication which is under development as a potential birth control pill for men. It is tak ...

(CDB-4521), 11β-MNT and 11β-MNTDC are under investigation as potential

male contraceptive Male contraceptives, also known as male birth control, are methods of preventing pregnancy that solely involve the male physiology. The most common kinds of male contraception include condoms, outercourse, and vasectomy. In domestic animals, ca ...

s and to treat male

hypogonadism Hypogonadism means diminished functional activity of the gonads—the testes or the ovaries—that may result in diminished production of sex hormones. Low androgen (e.g., testosterone) levels are referred to as hypoandrogenism and low estroge ...

Side effects

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

11β-MNT does not undergo

aromatization Aromatization is a chemical reaction in which an aromatic system is formed from a single nonaromatic precursor. Typically aromatization is achieved by dehydrogenation of existing cyclic compounds, illustrated by the conversion of cyclohexane int ...

into the corresponding

estrogen Estrogen or oestrogen is a category of sex hormone responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. There are three major endogenous estrogens that have estrogenic hormonal ac ...

ic metabolite 11β-methylestradiol, and for this reason, has no potential for estrogenic

side effect In medicine, a side effect is an effect, whether therapeutic or adverse, that is secondary to the one intended; although the term is predominantly employed to describe adverse effects, it can also apply to beneficial, but unintended, consequence ...

s such as

gynecomastia Gynecomastia (also spelled gynaecomastia) is the abnormal non-cancerous enlargement of one or both breasts in males due to the growth of breast tissue as a result of a hormone imbalance between estrogens and androgens. Updated by Brent Wisse ( ...

. In addition, unlike

testosterone Testosterone is the primary sex hormone and anabolic steroid in males. In humans, testosterone plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as testes and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristi ...

, 11β-MNT does not appear to undergo 5α-reduction into the corresponding 5α- dihydrogenated metabolite 5α-dihydro-11β-MNT (5α-DHMNT). This conclusion is based on the fact that 5α-DHMNT is 4 to 8 times as potent as 11β-MNT in terms of

androgen An androgen (from Greek ''andr-'', the stem of the word meaning "man") is any natural or synthetic steroid hormone that regulates the development and maintenance of male characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors. This in ...

icity in

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

bioassay A bioassay is an analytical method to determine the concentration or potency of a substance by its effect on living animals or plants (''in vivo''), or on living cells or tissues(''in vitro''). A bioassay can be either quantal or quantitative, dir ...

s, yet the co-administration of the 5α-reductase inhibitor

dutasteride Dutasteride, sold under the brand name Avodart among others, is a medication primarily used to treat the symptoms of a benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlarged prostate not associated with cancer. A few months may be required before benefi ...

with 11β-MNT had no influence on its potency in assays using tissues that express 5α-reductase like the ventral prostate and

seminal vesicle The seminal vesicles (also called vesicular glands, or seminal glands) are a pair of two convoluted tubular glands that lie behind the urinary bladder of some male mammals. They secrete fluid that partly composes the semen. The vesicles are 5� ...

s. Due to lack of potentiation by 5α-reductase in androgenic tissues like the

skin Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different de ...

, hair follicles, and prostate gland, 11β-MNT may have a lower risk of certain side effects such as oily skin,

acne Acne, also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term skin condition that occurs when dead skin cells and oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include blackheads or whiteheads, pimples, oily skin, and ...

, androgenic alopecia (pattern hair loss), prostate enlargement, and prostate cancer than testosterone and certain other AAS. Similarly to nandrolone, dimethandrolone, and other 19-nortestosterone derivatives, 11β-MNT has been found to possess progestogenic activity. Because of its dual activity as an AAS and progestogen, 11β-MNT may have greater efficacy in suppression of spermatogenesis and hence

male fertility Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Fertilit ...

than pure AAS like testosterone. Oral 11β-MNT has shown little to no potential for

hepatotoxicity Hepatotoxicity (from ''hepatic toxicity'') implies chemical-driven liver damage. Drug-induced liver injury is a cause of acute and chronic liver disease caused specifically by medications and the most common reason for a drug to be withdrawn fr ...

in animals, similarly to testosterone but unlike 17α-alkylated AAS like methyltestosterone. The drug notably shows a much lower hepatotoxic potential than dimethandrolone and trestolone (7α-methyl-19-nortestosterone; MENT), which may have an increased risk due to their shared C7α

methyl group In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula . In formulas, the group is often abbreviated as Me. This hydrocarbon group occurs in ma ...

(although a risk that is still significantly lower than that of 17α-alkylated AAS).

Chemistry

11β-MNT, or 11β-methyl-19-nortestosterone, also known as 11β-methylestr-4-en-17β-ol-3-one, is a

estrane steroid and a non-17α-alkylated

(19-nortestosterone).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Methyl-19-nortestosterone, 11β- Secondary alcohols Androgens and anabolic steroids Estranes Experimental drugs Contraception for males Enones Progestogens