What is the Estrone?
Estrone is a female sex hormone (estrogen) secreted from the ovary and produced at peripheral level, especially in the adipose tissue, by conversion of androstenedione by the enzyme aromatase.
This hormone is involved in numerous physiological processes, fundamental for the whole organism.
The estrone exerts its action interacting with the estrogen receptors, thus activating a cascade of chemical signals that - depending on the case - leads to different biological responses.
Concentration
Estrone concentration at different stages of a woman's life
The levels of estrone present in the female body vary over time depending on the phase of life in which the woman herself is.
During the fertile age of women, the concentrations of estrone are lower than those of diestradiol, which also predominates as regards the power of action; during pregnancy, estriol prevails, a placental steroid with very limited estrogenic activity. The estrone becomes predominant only after lamenopause, due to the blockage of the ovarian production of estradiol, with passage to average estrogenic plasma concentrations of 10 pg / ml, against the 100 pg / ml of the fertile period. The concentration of the estrone prevails over that of estradiol even before plumping.
Because of its origin dependent on androstenedione, estrone levels tend to be elevated in women suffering from hyperandrogenism, resulting for example in ovarian pediculosis, use of testosterone derivatives or androgen-secreting tumors.
Estrone Sulphate
As mentioned, estrone can be produced starting from androstenedione, as can be synthesized starting from estradiol.
The estrone, in turn, can be converted into estrone sulfate, a derivative with a rather prolonged half-life, which acts as a reserve of estradiol and estrone (originated at the cellular level by the sulfatase steroid).
Estrone Sulphate and Hair
The beneficial role that estrogens (such as estrone) exert against hair is well known for a long time. Just think, for example, of a pregnant woman, whose body is rich in female sex hormones, which translates, among other things, into an increase in the length of the hair growth phase, decreasing the number of hair entering the hair. telogen phase, therefore, reducing its fall.
The estrone - similarly to the other estrogens - acts in this way, that is, it has the ability to prolong the duration of the hair growth phase (anagen).
At the same time, it is able to activate adenyl cyclase and the production of growth factors that govern cell multiplication (HrGF) at the level of the hair matrix.
However, the important trans-cutaneous absorption of this hormone - with consequent systemic repercussions - has considerably limited the possibility of using estrone topically.
This obstacle, fortunately, has been circumvented by resorting to the administration of estrone sulphate, which as we have seen is converted into estrone by the pilosebaceous follicle thanks to the action of the sulfatase enzyme. For this reason, local treatment with estrone sulfate may be indicated in the presence of female androgenetic dialopecia. In particular, in the treatment of female androgenetic alopecia, estrone sulfate can be used either alone or in combination with minoxidil.
The opportunity for topical administration of estrone sulphate in humans, although possible, must still be evaluated with particular care by the attending physician.
Finally, it is necessary to point out that - contrary to what happened with the estrone - no cases of side effects due to a systemic absorption of the estrone sulphate have been reported yet. In fact, this hormone can be defined as biologically inactive, since it can only be used in tissues where the sulfatase enzyme is present which transforms it into its active form (the estrone, in fact).
Therefore, if through the topical application, the sulfated estrone were absorbed as such and entered the circulation, given its inactivity, it would not be able to cause systemic reactions.
