Aminoglutethimide

Aminoglutethimide

Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	Consumer Drug Information
MedlinePlus	a604039
Pregnancy category	AU: D US: D (Evidence of risk)
Routes of administration	Oral
ATC code	L02BG01 (WHO)
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	>95%
Metabolism	Hepatic
Biological half-life	12.5 ± 1.6 hours
Excretion	Renal
Identifiers
IUPAC name (RS)-3-(4-aminophenyl)-3-ethyl-piperidine-2,6-dione
CAS Number	125-84-8 Y
PubChem (CID)	2145
IUPHAR/BPS	7054
DrugBank	DB00357 Y
ChemSpider	2060 Y
UNII	0O54ZQ14I9 Y
KEGG	D00574 Y
ChEBI	CHEBI:2654 Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL488 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.004.325
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C13H16N2O2
Molar mass	232.278 g/mol
3D model (Jmol)	Interactive image
SMILES O=C1NC(=O)CCC1(c2ccc(N)cc2)CC
InChI InChI=1S/C13H16N2O2/c1-2-13(8-7-11(16)15-12(13)17)9-3-5-10(14)6-4-9/h3-6H,2,7-8,14H2,1H3,(H,15,16,17) Y Key:ROBVIMPUHSLWNV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y

Aminoglutethimide is an anti-steroid drug marketed under the tradename Cytadren by Novartis around the world. It blocks the production of steroids derived from cholesterol and is clinically used in the treatment of Cushing's syndrome and metastatic breast cancer. It is also used by bodybuilders.

Aminoglutethimide has two mechanisms of action:

At low doses, aminogluthethimide is only an effective inhibitor of aromatase, but at higher doses, it effectively blocks P450scc as well.

Its side effects are skin rash, hepatotoxicity, inhibition of cortisol in the human body, and it may also cause hypothyroidism. Since cortisol helps break down muscle, aminoglutethimide is used by bodybuilders in a steroid cycle.

Aminoglutethimide is indicated in conjunction with other drugs for the suppression of adrenal function in patients with Cushing's syndrome.

It is also a 2nd or 3rd line choice for the treatment of hormone sensitive (estrogen and progesterone) metastatic breast cancer.

Aminoglutethimide is abused by bodybuilders and other steroid users to lower circulating levels of cortisol in the body and prevent muscle loss. Cortisol is catabolic to protein in muscle and effective blockade of P450scc by aminogluthethimide at high doses prevents muscle loss.

Aminoglutethimide has more recently found use as a recreational CYP2D6 inducer, resulting in an increased conversion of codeine to morphine when the former is taken concomitantly with aminoglutethimide. This increases the effect of codeine per dose and increases the ceiling effect threshold, allowing smaller doses of codeine to achieve the same effect as a larger dose taken alone as well as increasing the metabolic limit on the effect of codeine (normally codeine doses above 400 mg stop producing any significant increase in opioid effects due to depletion of the CYP2D6 enzyme which essentially halts the conversion process until the enzyme has replenished). A similar effect is seen with tramadol due to an increased conversion to O-desmethyltramadol and an increased availability of the CYP2D6 enzyme.