Cyclohex-1-Ene Carboxylic Acids: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Inhibitors of Human 5α Reductase

In 2003, researchers synthesized and evaluated novel inhibitors of human 5α reductase, an enzyme linked to conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenic alopecia (hair loss). The study focused on compounds known as 4-(2-phenylethyl)cyclohex-1-ene carboxylic acids 1-5. These compounds were found to be effective inhibitors of the prostatic isozyme 2, with compound 1 being the most potent (IC50 = 760 nM). However, they only slightly inhibited isozyme 1. The researchers concluded that these compounds could be further optimized for the development of a new drug for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and potentially hair loss conditions.