PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATION OF 15- OR 16- SUBSTITUTED TESTOSTERONE ANALOGUES

摘要

The present invention relates to pharmaceutical dosage units for oral,transmucosal or transdermal administration containing 15- or 16-substitutedtestosterone analogues, as well as to therapeutic methods that employ thesetestosterone analogues. More particularly, the present invention is concernedwith such pharmaceutical dosage units containing at least 10 ~g of anandrogenic steroid selected from the group consisting of 15-hydroxytestosterones, 16-hydroxytestosterones, precursors thereof and mixturesof these hydroxytestosterones and/or their precursors; and a pharmaceuticallyacceptable excipient. The term "15-hydroxytestosterones" encompasses both15.alpha.-hydroxytestosterone (15.alpha., 17.beta.-dihydroxy-4-androsten-3-one) and 15.beta.-hydroxytestosterone (15.beta., 17.beta.-dihydroxy-4~androsten-3-one). Similarly, the term "16-hydroxytestosterones" encompassesboth 16.alpha.-hydroxytestosterone hydroxytestosterone (16.alpha., 17.beta.-dihydroxy-4-androsten-3-one) and 16.beta.~hydroxytestosterone (16.beta.,17.beta.-dihydroxy-4-androsten-3-one). The androgenic steroids according tothe invention are advantageously employed in e.g. a method of treating orpreventing androgen deficiency or a method of hormonal contraception.