Functional effects of finasteride

Finasteride is a 4-azasteroid compound that is an intracellular enzyme involved in the metabolism of testosterone to a stronger dihydrotestosterone, type II 5 α- A specific inhibitor of reductase. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as prostate enlargement, depends on the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone in the prostate. This drug can effectively reduce dihydrotestosterone in the blood and prostate. Finasteride has no affinity for androgen receptors.
In a long-term efficacy and safety study of this drug (PLESS), 3016 patients with moderate to severe symptoms of prostatic hyperplasia who took this drug for 4 years were evaluated for the treatment of the urinary system related to prostatic hyperplasia (surgical intervention), such as transurethral resection of prostate and other prostatectomy, or acute urinary retention requiring catheter insertion. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter study, treatment with this drug reduced the overall risk of urinary system management by 51%, accompanied by significant and sustained reduction in prostate volume, as well as sustained increase in maximum urine flow rate and symptom improvement.