Steroid

Steroid a biologically active natural or synthetic organic compound,is significant in medicine, biology and chemistry. Steroid is included among the components of cell membranes, signaling molecules, different sex hormones, adrenocortical hormones, bile acids, and numerous physiologically dynamic components of flora, fauna and fungi.The core structure of steroid is specified by 17 carbon atoms organized in four fused rings. The steroids differ from one another through the functional groups bound to the four ring core structure, their position and the oxidation state of the ring complex. Minorshifts in the molecular arrangements of steroids can leadto significantalterations in their naturalactions. The most commonly occurring steroids are sterols, which exist inside every tissues of animals, plants, and fungi including yeasts. In mammalian skin, the sterol is converted into vitamin D, by UV light which regulates calcification of bone by maintaining gut absorption of calcium.

Apart from their principal physiological effects, a growing number of steroids have got pharmacological significance. There are synthetic analogs of male sex hormone testosterone, which have been used by individuals who don't produce enough testosterone and are often used illegally by athletes to increase their muscle mass. They are used in conjunction with growth hormone to stimulate growth in children in whose physical advancement is arrested and are sometimes prescribed to treat certain kinds of anemia. These compounds are known as androgens or anabolic steroids.Some steroidsare designedto treat inflammatory conditions and reduce swelling, known as corticosteroids.Corticosteroids have been used to treat various conditions, including:asthma, hay fever, eczema, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, lupus and multiple sclerosis.Synthetic steroids havealso been used as oral contraceptives. Unlike the commonly available hormones, the synthetic steroids are extremely powerful while administered orally as tablets. [Tania Rahman]