FINASTERIDE

ALL  THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT FINASTERIDE ARE TRUE EXCEPT ?

a. it is used in the medical treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy

b. impotence is well documented after its use

c. it blocks the conversion of dihydrotestosterone to testosterone

d. it is a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor

answer: c . it blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone but not the reverse .

such a tricky question , i wonder what the examiners think , that we are geniuses or wat ? anyway more info about finasteride here .

 Finasteride

Ø  synthetic antiandrogen

Ø  acts by inhibiting type II 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Ø  used as a treatment in

o   benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in low doses,

o   prostate cancer in higher doses.

o   also indicated for use in combination with doxazosin therapy to reduce the risk for symptomatic progression of BPH.

o   Additionally, it is registered in many countries for androgenetic alopecia (male-pattern baldness).

Ø  U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved finasteride to treat male pattern hair loss.