Desoxycortone acetate

Desoxycortone acetate (also known as DOCA) is a synthetic steroid that is used in medicine as a mineralocorticoid receptor agonist. It is a derivative of progesterone and is chemically similar to the natural hormone aldosterone.

History

Desoxycortone acetate was first synthesized in the 1930s by Tadeusz Reichstein and his colleagues. It was one of the first synthetic steroids to be used in medicine and was initially used to treat Addison's disease, a condition in which the body does not produce enough of certain hormones.

Pharmacology

Desoxycortone acetate acts as a potent agonist of the mineralocorticoid receptor, which is a type of nuclear receptor that is activated by the hormone aldosterone. When activated, the mineralocorticoid receptor regulates the balance of sodium and potassium in the body, which in turn affects blood pressure and fluid balance.

Medical uses

Desoxycortone acetate is used in medicine to treat conditions that are caused by a deficiency of aldosterone or a similar hormone. These conditions include Addison's disease, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and certain types of hypotension. It is also used in some cases to treat salt-wasting syndrome, a condition in which the body loses too much salt through the urine.

Side effects

Like all medications, desoxycortone acetate can cause side effects. These can include fluid retention, high blood pressure, low potassium levels (hypokalemia), and heart failure. In rare cases, it can also cause hypernatremia, a condition in which there is too much sodium in the blood.

See also

• Corticosteroid
• Mineralocorticoid
• Aldosterone

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