Oxymetholone, sold under the brand names Anadrol and Anapolon among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is used primarily in the treatment of anemia.
of oxymetholone include increased libido as well as of virilization like acne, hirsutism, and voice deepening.
Oxymetholone was first prescribed in 1959 and was introduced for medical use but was discontinued in 1961 due its high lipid toxicity.
Medical uses
The primary clinical applications of oxymetholone include treatment of
anemia and
osteoporosis, as well as stimulating muscle growth in malnourished or underdeveloped patients.
However, in the
United States, the only remaining -approved indication is the treatment of
anemia.
Following the introduction of oxymetholone, nonsteroidal drugs such as epoetin alfa were developed and shown to be more effective as a treatment for anemia and osteoporosis without the of oxymetholone.
Presented most commonly as a 50 mg tablet, oxymetholone has been said to be one of the "strongest" and "most powerful" AAS available for medical use.
Non-medical uses
Oxymetholone is used for physique- and performance-enhancing purposes by
competition ,
, and
.
Side effects
The common
of oxymetholone include depression,
lethargy,
headache, swelling, fast and excessive
weight gain,
priapism, changes in skin color, urination problems,
nausea,
vomiting,
stomach pain (if taken on an empty stomach), loss of appetite,
jaundice,
gynecomastia in men, feeling restless or excited,
insomnia, and
diarrhea.
[ In women, side effects also include acne, changes in , voice deepening, hirsutism, pattern hair loss, clitoromegaly, and changes in libido.][ Because of its 17α-alkylated structure, oxymetholone is hepatotoxic.][
]
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
Like other AAS, oxymetholone is an agonist of the androgen receptor (AR).
As a DHT derivative, oxymetholone is not a substrate for aromatase and hence cannot be aromatized into estrogenic .
Pharmacokinetics
There is limited information available on the pharmacokinetics of oxymetholone.
Chemistry
Oxymetholone, also known as 2-hydroxymethylene-17α-methyl-4,5α-dihydrotestosterone (2-hydroxymethylene-17α-methyl-DHT) or as 2-hydroxymethylene-17α-methyl-5α-androstan-17β-ol-3-one, is a synthetic androstane steroid and a 17α-alkylated derivative of DHT.
History
Oxymetholone was first described in a 1959 paper by scientists from Syntex.
Society and culture
Generic names
Oxymetholone is the generic term of the drug and its , , , , and , while oxymétholone is its .
Brand names
Oxymetholone has been marketed under a variety of brand names including Anadrol, Anadroyd, Anapolon, Anasterona, Anasteronal, Anasterone, Androlic, Androyd, Hemogenin, Nastenon, Oxitoland, Oxitosona, Oxyanabolic, Oxybolone, Protanabol, Roboral, Synasterobe, Synasteron, and Zenalosyn.
Availability
United States
Oxymetholone is one of the few AAS that remains available for medical use in the United States.
Other countries
The availability of oxymetholone is fairly limited and seems to be scattered into isolated markets in Europe, Asia, and North America and South America.
Legal status
Oxymetholone, along with other AAS, is a schedule III controlled substance in the United States under the Controlled Substances Act.
Further reading
