Steroid hormones. brief information

Steroid hormones are a special group of active substances that regulate the processes of vital activity in humans and animals. All vertebrates. The synthesis of these hormones is interrelated. Therefore, it is possible to influence the synthesis of several hormones simultaneously. Steroid hormones are important for the human body.

Means of hormones of the adrenal cortex (or corticosteroid hormones)

Mineralocorticosteroids are hormones that affect the exchange of minerals (mainly sodium and potassium). With an excessive amount of mineralocorticosteroids in the human body, edema, increased arterial pressure, hypokalemia can develop. With a lack of these hormones, the release of water and sodium from the body by the kidneys can increase, resulting in dehydration of the body.

Glucocorticoids are substances highly lipophilic, easily penetrating the membrane of the cell, after which they are bound in the cytoplasm with special receptors - glucocorticoid. The complex is introduced into the nucleus of the cell, where glucocorticoids begin to influence the release of various genes, thereby stimulating the formation of certain proteins. This type of hormones increases the level of glucose in the bloodstream, causes redistribution of fat (an increase in fat folds on the neck, face, chest, upper back and abdomen, on the limbs the fat layer becomes smaller), enhances the action of adrenaline, promotes the breakdown of proteins and inhibits their synthesis This action is called catabolic), can have an average mineralocorticoid effect. Steroid hormones glucocorticosteroids are most often used as immunosuppressive, anti-shock, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agents. Glucocorticosteroids have a number of side effects. This is osteoporosis, abnormalities in the structure of the gastric mucosa, decreased immunity, hyperglycemia, edema, glucosuria (so-called steroid diabetes), increased blood pressure, cataracts, subcapsular, disorders of fat metabolism, limb muscle mass reduction, nervous disorders (paranoia, depression, euphoria) . In addition, these hormones increase appetite, intracranial and intraocular pressure, reduce the number of eosinophils and lymphocytes in the blood, increase the number of neutrophils and disrupt the growth of the child's body.

Sex hormones are female and male. The females are produced in the ovaries. There are gestagenic and estrogenic hormones. There are also medicines that correspond to them.

Estrogenic drugs are used as a substitute therapy for menstruation disorders, inadequate estrogen hormones, infertility. Assign usually in combination with gestagens.

The gestagenic drugs reduce the excitability of uterine myometrium (the muscle layer) while bearing the baby. For this reason, they are used when starting and threatening miscarriages. The true gestagen hormone is progesterone. His medication is also called. This hormone is a part of contraceptives, which must be taken internally. The gestagens have a number of side effects: weight gain, acne, fluid retention in the human body, depression, insomnia, menstruation, hirsutism.

Male sex hormones are steroid hormones that form in the testes. Their preparations are called androgenic. The main male hormone genital is testosterone. As a medicine, its synthetic analogue - testosterone propionate and methyltestosterone is used. Androgenic drugs are prescribed for impotence, insufficient development of sex, with breast cancer.