What is "etiocholanolone"

n. (context biochemistry English) A ketosteroid that is a metabolite of testosterone; it has some medical uses

Etiocholanolone, 3α-hydroxy-5β-androstan-17-one, is an endogenous 17-ketosteroid that is produced from the metabolism of testosterone. It causes fever, immunostimulation, and leukocytosis, and is used to evaluate adrenal cortex function, bone marrow performance, and in neoplastic disease to stimulate the immune system. Etiocholanolone is also known to be an inhibitory androstane neurosteroid, acting as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABA receptor, and possesses anticonvulsant effects. The unnatural enantiomer of etiocholanolone is more potent as a positive allosteric modulator of GABA receptors and as an anticonvulsant than the natural form.