Mechanism-Based Inhibition of Human Steroid 5α-Reductase by Finasteride: Enzyme-Catalyzed Formation of NADP-Dihydrofinasteride, a Potent Bisubstrate Analog Inhibitor

    March 1996 in “ Journal of the American Chemical Society ”
    Herbert G. Bull, Margarita Garcia-Calvo, Stefan Andersson, Walter F. Baginsky, H. Karen Chan, Dina E. Ellsworth, Randall F. Miller, Ralph A. Stearns, Raman K. Bakshi, Gary H. Rasmusson, Richard M. Tolman, Robert C. Myers, and John W. Kozarich, Georgianna Harris
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    TLDR Finasteride effectively blocks enzyme causing male pattern baldness.
    This scientific paper from 1996 explores the mechanism by which finasteride inhibits human steroid 5α-reductase, an enzyme involved in the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is linked to male pattern baldness. The study found that finasteride acts as a potent bisubstrate analog inhibitor, forming a noncovalent complex with the enzyme that is irreversible and has a dissociation constant of K₁* ≤ 3 × 10-13 M. The study provides important insights into the mechanism of action of finasteride, which is commonly used to treat male pattern baldness and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
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      Finasteride and dutasteride have potential risks, including post-finasteride syndrome, but are commonly used for hair loss. RU58841, minoxidil, and needling are suggested as alternatives, though all treatments carry risks.

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      in Satire  7 upvotes 10 months ago
      The conversation discusses hair loss treatments, focusing on the use of topical minoxidil, microneedling, finasteride, and dutasteride, while debating the role of testosterone and DHT in hair loss. It also touches on the potential liver health impacts of these treatments and the genetic sensitivity of hair follicles to androgens.

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      in Research  830 upvotes 1 year ago
      Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

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