E-Guggulsterone
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Z-Guggulsterone
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| Names | |
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| IUPAC name
(8R,9S,10R,13S,14S)-17-Ethylidene-10,13-dimethyl-1,2,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15-decahydrocyclopenta[a]phenanthrene-3,16-dione
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| Other names
Pregna-4,17-diene-3,16-dione
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| Identifiers | |
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3D model (JSmol)
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| ChEMBL | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.118.937 |
PubChem CID
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| UNII |
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CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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| Properties | |
| C21H28O2 | |
| Molar mass | 312.453 g·mol−1 |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Guggulsterone is a phytosteroid found in the resin of the guggul plant, Commiphora mukul. Guggulsterone can exist as either of two stereoisomers, E-guggulsterone and Z-guggulsterone. In humans, it acts as an antagonist of the farnesoid X receptor, which was once believed to result in decreased cholesterol synthesis in the liver. Several studies have been published that indicate no overall reduction in total cholesterol occurs using various dosages of guggulsterone, and levels of low-density lipoprotein ("bad cholesterol") increased in many people.[1][2] Nevertheless, guggulsterone is an ingredient in many nutritional supplements. Guggulsterone was also found to have interactions with the viral ADP ribose phosphatase enzyme of SARS-CoV-2 and has been proposed as a potential candidate for the development of therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19.[3]
Guggulsterone is a broad-spectrum ligand of steroid hormone receptors, and is known to possess the following activities:[4][5][6][7]
- Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (Ki = 39 nM)
- Progesterone receptor partial agonist (Ki = 201 nM)
- Glucocorticoid receptor antagonist (Ki = 224 nM)
- Androgen receptor antagonist (Ki = 240 nM)
- Estrogen receptor agonist (Ki > 5 μM; EC50 > 5 μM)
- Farnesoid X receptor antagonist (IC50 = 5–50 μM)
- Pregnane X receptor agonist (EC50 = 2.4 μM ((Z)-isomer))
Guggulsterone has been found in animal research to be orally active; it has an absolute bioavailability of 42.9% after oral administration in rats, with a half-life of around 10 hours in this species, indicating a good pharmacokinetic profile.[8]
Synthesis
[edit]Guggulsterone can be synthesized from 16-DPA, progesterone or DHEA.
A synthesis of guggulsterone from 16-DPA is described.[9][10] Note that for the first step in the patent LiAlH4 is used in THF. However, just NaBH4 in EtOH would work for this step although the acetoxy ester would not be expected to get reduced if using this reagent.

The reduction of 16-DPA [979-02-2] with sodium borohydride leads to 5,16-pregnadiene-3b-20 diol, PC22295555 (2). Acetylation is accompanied by some kind of a bond reorganization to give PC58830759, PC90955911 or PC90960662 (3). Saponification of both the acetyl groups gives PC90795454 (4). Oppenauer oxidation concludes the synthesis (5).
References
[edit]- ^ Szapary, PO; Wolfe, ML; Bloedon, LT; Cucchiara, AJ; Dermarderosian, AH; Cirigliano, MD; Rader, DJ (2003). "Guggulipid Ineffective for Lowering Cholesterol". JAMA. 290 (6): 765–772. doi:10.1001/jama.290.6.765. PMID 12915429.
- ^ Sahni, S; Hepfinger, CA; Sauer, KA (2005). "Guggulipid Use in Hyperlipidemia". Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 62 (16): 1690–1692. doi:10.2146/ajhp040580. PMID 16085931.
- ^ Kciuk M, Mujwar S, Rani I, Munjal K, Gielecińska A, Kontek R, Shah K (2022). "Computational Bioprospecting Guggulsterone against ADP Ribose Phosphatase of SARS-CoV-2". Molecules. 27 (23) 8287: 8287. doi:10.3390/molecules27238287. PMC 9739500. PMID 36500379.
- ^ Burris, T. P. (2004). "The Hypolipidemic Natural Product Guggulsterone Is a Promiscuous Steroid Receptor Ligand". Molecular Pharmacology. 67 (3): 948–954. doi:10.1124/mol.104.007054. ISSN 0026-895X. PMID 15602004. S2CID 309272.
- ^ Brobst, D. E. (2004). "Guggulsterone Activates Multiple Nuclear Receptors and Induces CYP3A Gene Expression through the Pregnane X Receptor". Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 310 (2): 528–535. doi:10.1124/jpet.103.064329. ISSN 0022-3565. PMID 15075359. S2CID 7093631.
- ^ Hugo Kubinyi; Gerhard Müller (6 March 2006). Chemogenomics in Drug Discovery: A Medicinal Chemistry Perspective. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 394–. ISBN 978-3-527-60402-9.
- ^ Roger Blumenthal; JoAnne Foody; Nathan D. Wong (25 February 2011). Preventive Cardiology: A Companion to Braunwald's Heart Disease. Elsevier Health Sciences. pp. 1563–. ISBN 978-1-4377-3785-1.
- ^ Verma, N.; Singh, S.K.; Gupta, R.C. (1999). "Pharmacokinetics of Guggulsterone after Intravenous and Oral Administration in Rats". Pharmacy and Pharmacology Communications. 5 (5): 349–354. doi:10.1211/146080899128734956 (inactive 5 July 2025). ISSN 1460-8081.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link) - ^ Heonjoong Kang, Jungyeob Ham, Jungwook Chin, WO2004094450 (2004 to Seoul Nat Univ Ind Foundation). Location in patent: Page 28; 56-57.
- ^ Yusuf Khawja Windsor Villa 2Nd Floor Hamied, EP0447706 (1991 to Cipla Limited).

