Dutasteride
Dutasteride has been found to be one of the most effective drugs in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This drug is also highly acclaimed for its usage in the treatment of patients suffering from male pattern baldness.
The FDA-Approved Drug is a synthetic 4-azasteroid compound and dual 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, which is available in the form of 0.5 mg soft gelatin capsules. Dutasteride interferes with 5-alpha-reductase enzymes that are known to break down testosterone (male hormone) to turn it into dehydrotestosterone (DHT) resulting in hair thinning in the old age.
Action Mechanism
Dutasteride is helpful in inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to dehydrotestosterone. Testosterone is then converted to DHT by an enzyme (5-alpha-reductase), which exists as type 1 and type 2 isoforms. Type 1 isoform is primarily responsible in the conversion of testosterone in liver and skin. Type 2 isoform, on the other hand, stays primarily active in the reproductive tissue.
This drug is regarded as a competitive inhibitor of both type 1 and type 2 (5-alpha-reductase) isoenzymes with which it forms a stable enzyme complex.
The result of Dutasteride is hugely bound to alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (96.6%) and plasma albumin (99.0%). It is metabolized on an extensive basis in humans. Dutasteride is known to be metabolized by the CY93A4 and CYP3A5 isoenzymes as per the vitro studies.
Dosage
The recommended dosage of this FDA-approved drug is 1 capsule of 0.5 mg in oral form, once a day. The capsule needs to swallow as a whole and can be administered to a patient, without or with food.
Contraindications
The drug should not be taken by patients who are hypersensitive to it or any preparation component or 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. Furthermore, it should not be contraindicated for use by children and women.
Undesirable Effects
Some of the undesirable effects of Dutasteride are impotency, decrease in libido level, rashes, urticaria, localized edema, and gynecomastia.
Precautions & Warnings
A high sense of care needs to be observed when this drug is required to be administered to a patient on chronic CYP3A4 enzyme inhibitors such as ritonavir. Before administration of this drug, a patient should go for an assessment to rule out the presence of any urological ailments.
Women, who are pregnant or expecting pregnancy, should not use this drug as it can lead to a potential risk of a fetal anomaly to the male foetus. Apart from that, patients who have been administered with Dutasteride should not donate blood for at least 6 months so that no pregnant woman accidentally receives dutasteride through blood transfusion.
