| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name 3β-Hydoxy-5β-pregnan-20-one | |
| Systematic IUPAC name 1-[(1S,3aS,3bR,5aR,7S,9aS,9bS,11aS)-7-Hydroxy-9a,11a-dimethylhexadecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-1-yl]ethan-1-one | |
| Other names 3β,5β-Tetrahydroprogesterone | |
| Identifiers | |
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3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChemSpider | |
| UNII | |
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| Properties | |
| C21H34O2 | |
| Molar mass | 318.501 g·mol−1 |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). | |
Epipregnanolone, also known as3β-hydroxy-5β-pregnan-20-one,3β,5β-tetrahydroprogesterone, or3β,5β-THP, is anendogenousneurosteroid.[1] It acts as anegative allosteric modulator of theGABAA receptor and reverses the effects ofpotentiators likeallopregnanolone.[2][3] Epipregnanolone isbiosynthesized fromprogesterone by the actions of5β-reductase and3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, with5β-dihydroprogesterone as theintermediate in this two-step transformation.[2]
Epipregnanolone is not aprogestogen itself, but via metabolization into other steroids, behaves indirectly as one.[4]
Thesulfate of epipreganolone,epipregnanolone sulfate, is a negative allosteric modulator of theNMDA[5] andGABAA receptors[6] and also acts as aTRPM3channel activator.[7][8]