NOVEL N-SUBSTITUTED 3-AMINOSTEROIDS WHICH EXHIBIT ANTIINFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES AND INFLUENCE FREE-RADICAL PROCESSES

The synthesis and the anti-inflammatory activity of certain amino-derivatives of 17beta-hydroxy-17alpha-methyl-3-androstanone, substituted at the 3-position with a concomitant exception of 3-carbonyl functionality are reported. The antioxidant properties and the interaction with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl stable free radical of the synthesized compounds were also investigated, in an effort to elucidate the possible mechanism of their anti-inflammatory activity. It was found that the synthesized androstane derivatives exhibited strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, and that these properties are probably connected. Furthermore, this biological profile is attributed to a successful combination of the steroidal parent structure with the diamine or aminothiol moiety and not to the presence of either alone.