Product Name: Finasteride
Brand Names: Proscar and Propecia
CAS Number 98319-26-7
Formula C23H36N2O2
Molar mass 372.549 g/mol
Descriptions
PROSCAR (finasteride), a synthetic 4-azasteroid compound, is a specific inhibitor of steroid Type II 5α-reductase, an intracellular enzyme that converts the androgen testosterone into 5α- dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Finasteride is 4-azaandrost-1-ene-17-carboxamide, N-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-3-oxo-,(5α,17ß)-. The empirical formula of finasteride is C23H36N2O2 and its molecular weight is 372.55. Its structural formula is:
Structural Formula Illustration
Finasteride is a white crystalline powder with a melting point near 250°C. It is freely soluble in chloroform and in lower alcohol solvents, but is practically insoluble in water.
Uses
Finasteride is used to shrink an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) in adult men. It may be used alone or taken in combination with other medications to reduce symptoms of BPH and may also reduce the need for surgery.Finasteride may improve symptoms of BPH and provide benefits such as decreased urge to urinate, better urine flow with less straining, less of a feeling that the bladder is not completely emptied, and decreased nighttime urination. This medication works by decreasing the amount of a natural body hormone (DHT) that causes growth of the prostate.
How to take finasteride
Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer’s printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about finasteride and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.Take finasteride exactly as your doctor tells you to. Take one 5 mg tablet each day.You can take the tablet either before or after a meal, but try to take it at the same time of day each day. This will help you to remember to take your doses regularly.If you forget to take a dose on time, take it when you remember. If you do not remember until the following day, skip the missed dose. Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.
Do NOT use finasteride if:
you are allergic to any ingredient in finasteride
you are or may be pregnant
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
