Effects of Drugs on the Endocrine System

Several synthetic steroids and hormonally active substances are able to affect the endocrine system. In such cases, the substance may possess inherent hormonal activity and therefore act rather specifically on a particular target organ of the endocrine system. Some of the so-called 19-norsteroids can effectively inhibit ovulation (e. g., norethynodrel) or can enhance protein-anabolic activity (e. g., norethandrolone). While these steroids are, in fact, drugs, they nevertheless possess inherent hormonal activity. On the other hand, drugs without inherent hormonal activity are able to affect particular target organs of the endocrine system. Some of these drugs are used for the explicit purpose of affecting an endocrine process, while still others affect a hormonal action, usually as a result of some side effect or toxic reaction. Several antithyroidal agents have no inherent hormonal activity, yet exert pharmacological effects on the endocrine system. Conversely, several CNS-depressant drugs without inherent hormonal activity are capable of affecting hormonal balance as a result of some side effect, or their ability to interfere with hypothalamic-pituitary relationships.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Corporate Research, Travenol Laboratories, Inc., Round Lake, Illinois, USA John A. Thomas ( Vice President, Adjunct Professor, Lecturer, Instructor )
2. Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA John A. Thomas ( Vice President, Adjunct Professor, Lecturer, Instructor )
3. Department of Urology, Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA John A. Thomas ( Vice President, Adjunct Professor, Lecturer, Instructor )
4. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, West Virginia School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA John A. Thomas ( Vice President, Adjunct Professor, Lecturer, Instructor )
5. Department of Pharmacology, University of Illinois School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA John A. Thomas ( Vice President, Adjunct Professor, Lecturer, Instructor )
6. Department of Pharmacology, Rush-Presbyterian School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA John A. Thomas ( Vice President, Adjunct Professor, Lecturer, Instructor )
7. Hormone Receptor Laboratory, School of Medicine, The Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA Edward J. Keenan ( Director, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor )
8. Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, The Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA Edward J. Keenan ( Director, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor )
9. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, The Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA Edward J. Keenan ( Director, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor )
10. Department of Medicine (Medical Oncology), School of Medicine, The Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, Oregon, USA Edward J. Keenan ( Director, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Adjunct Associate Professor )

1. John A. Thomas