Finastride, Everything You Need To Know!
What Is Finastride?
Finasteride API is a white to off-white powder mainly manufactured in China and India.
People use finasteride (combined with doxazosin) for symptoms of BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia, aka enlarged prostate, causing trouble urinating, etc),
It is the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Proscar (5 mg tablet for benign prostatic hyperplasia) and Propecia (1 mg tablet for androgenetic alopecia).
Finasteride belongs to the class of medications known as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors.
Finasteride inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone plays a key role in hair loss and prostate enlargement, as high levels of DHT cause both BPH and male-pattern hair loss.
Finasteride is available in two primary forms: oral tablets and topical solutions.
While you used to see the oral form more often, the topical version has gained popularity for its localized application and reduced risk of systemic side effects.
Finasteride and minoxidil (APIs) are the only two FDA-approved drugs for hair loss in men in the USA.
Finasteride slows further hair loss and improves hair loss by about 30% after six months of treatment.
Its effectiveness persists as long as you keep taking it.
What Is Finasteride Used For?
Finasteride is used to stop hair loss or regrow hair in men (male pattern baldness, aka androgenetic alopecia).
People often use it for male pattern baldness in the USA and Europe.
Many people also use it for hair regrowth in South America and the Middle East.
People also use it to treat excessive hair growth in women and as a part of hormone therapy for transgender women by oral dosages.
Sometimes, dermo doctors would prescribe it for acne.
To sum it up, people mainly use finasteride for two medical conditions:
1. Male Pattern Baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia):
Finasteride is FDA-approved for the treatment of male pattern hair loss. It helps slow down hair loss and, in some cases, promotes hair regrowth by reducing DHT levels in the scalp.
2. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH):
Doctors also prescribe finasteride to manage symptoms of an enlarged prostate, such as difficulty urinating, weak urine flow, and frequent urination.
Shrinking the prostate gland alleviates these symptoms and improves the quality of life.
While finasteride is not officially approved for other uses, it is sometimes prescribed off-label for conditions like hirsutism (excessive hair growth in women), acne treatment, and prostate cancer prevention.
What is Finasteride Mechanism of Action (MOA)?
The mechanism of action of finasteride is mainly through inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase.
This enzyme converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a potent androgen.
There are two types of 5-alpha-reductase enzymes:
Type I: Found in the skin, liver, and sebaceous glands.
Type II: Found in the prostate gland, hair follicles, and seminal vesicles.
Finasteride specifically targets the Type II enzyme, reducing DHT levels by up to 70%.
This reduction helps shrink the prostate gland in BPH patients and minimizes DHT’s impact on hair follicles, thereby preventing hair loss.
How Is Finasteride Taken into the Body?
Typically, people administer finasteride in two ways:
1. Oral Tablets:
The most common form of finasteride is an oral tablet, usually taken once daily.
The standard dose for hair loss is 1 mg, while the dose for BPH is 5 mg.
Finasteride is absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and metabolized in the liver.
2. Topical Solutions:
Topical finasteride is applied directly to the scalp.
This topical design minimizes systemic absorption, reducing the risk of side effects while targeting DHT in the hair follicles.
Both forms are effective, but the choice depends on individual preferences and medical advice.
Is Oral Finasteride Stronger Than Topical?
No, there is no proof that oral finasteride (tablets or capsules) is more potent than topical finasteride formulations (sprays, creams, or solutions).
Since you already know that finasteride will help you grow your hair back, the point is: which form of finasteride will you choose for your hair loss, oral finasteride or topical type?
Oral finasteride is taken orally in tablets, capsules, etc. (1mg/day for 3 months to start), while topical formulations are finasteride sprays/creams/solutions (twice a day is recommended).
Oral finasteride can lower total DHT levels in your body serum by up to 60 %—70 %. However, topical finasteride only lowers DHT levels in your applied area, the scalp, by 50 %—60 %. Topical finasteride has fewer systemic side effects (erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive, ejaculation disorder, etc.).
Clinical studies have proven that topical finasteride can be as effective as oral finasteride in stopping hair loss and regrowing hair, if not better.
Does Finasteride Regrow Hair?
Yes, it does.
Finasteride slows and stops hair loss and stimulates new hair growth; it can significantly increase your hair counts and density.
Clinical studies have demonstrated that finasteride can:
1. Slow down hair loss in about 90% of men
2. Promote hair regrowth in about 65% of men.
But it takes months (3~4) for you to notice hair loss stops and even longer to see new hairs grow.
But finasteride mainly regrows scalp hairs rather than body hairs.
If you are a female using finasteride for hair loss, you may notice apparent facial hair growth as a side effect.
Finasteride stops hair loss by lowering dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the scalp, which prevents male pattern baldness. Lower levels of DHT cause less harm to hair follicles, allowing new hairs to grow and old hairs to remain.
Is Finasteride a Treatment for Prostate Cancer?
Finasteride is not a treatment for prostate cancer, but it has been studied for its potential role in prostate cancer prevention.
The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) found that finasteride reduced the risk of low-grade prostate cancer by about 25%.
However, it was also associated with a slight increase in the risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
As a result, finasteride is not widely recommended for prostate cancer prevention or treatment.
Its primary use remains in the management of BPH and hair loss.
Is Finasteride a Competitive Inhibitor?
Yes, finasteride is a competitive inhibitor of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme.
It binds to the enzyme’s active site, preventing it from converting testosterone into DHT.
This competitive inhibition is reversible, meaning the enzyme can resume function once finasteride is no longer present in the body.
Is Finasteride Polar?
Finasteride is a relatively nonpolar molecule due to its hydrophobic structure.
This property allows it to easily cross cell membranes and reach its target tissues, such as the prostate gland and hair follicles.
However, its nonpolar nature also means it can accumulate in fatty tissues, potentially leading to prolonged effects.
How Much Stronger is Dutasteride Than Finasteride?
Dutasteride is another 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor that people often compare with finasteride.
While finasteride primarily inhibits the Type II enzyme, dutasteride inhibits both Type I and Type II enzymes.
This dual inhibition makes dutasteride significantly stronger. It can reduce DHT levels by up to 90%, compared to 70% for finasteride.
However, dutasteride’s increased potency also has a higher risk of side effects.
It is typically reserved for individuals who do not respond well to finasteride.
Alternatives Of Finasteride For Hair Loss
1. It has plenty of alternatives for hair regrowth and loss.
It includes Minoxidil, Minoxidil sulfate, dutasteride, and Spironolactone.
The most prevalent ingredient used for hair loss is minoxidil.
Both minoxidil and finasteride are FDA-approved drugs for treating male pattern hair loss.
Minoxidil works both ways: topically applied and orally taken, so it is just more widespread.
1.1 You can find as many topical brands of minoxidil as you want, such as Rogaine, Alomax, Alopek, Alopexy, Alorexyl, Alostil, Aloxid, Aloxidil, Anagen, Apo-Gain, Axelan, Belohair, Boots Hair Loss Treatment, and Botafex.
And the list goes on and on, just too many.
Due to minoxidil’s huge demand, its price is way below its cost, about one-tenth of its price.
1.2 Minoxidil sulfate is a sulfate salt of minoxidil. It is more soluble in water than minoxidil. Minoxidil sulfate is still very cheap compared to finasteride—it is slightly more expensive than minoxidil.
1.3 Dutasteride is an improved form of it. It is more expensive but less popular, though. The current market price for dutasteride is about 6000 USD/kg.
1.4 Spironolactone works by slowing down androgen production, which regrows hair. Reduced androgen production can slow down the progression of hair loss caused by androgenic alopecia and encourage hair to regrow. Finasteride grows hair by preventing testosterone from breaking down into DHT, the hormone thought to cause male pattern baldness.
2. Eflornithine hydrochloride is an alternative for hirsutism (excessive facial and/or body hair growth) in women.
Finasteride was proven to reduce 93% of excessive facial hair and 73% of excessive body hair in women within 2 years.
People used to use eflornithine for hirsutism way back in the 1980s by Gillette, and it is the current mainstream treatment for excessive facial hair.
How Much Does Finasteride API Cost?
If you are a finasteride formulation manufacturer and you are looking for GMP-approved suppliers of Bulk Finasteride API with DMF, please check our offer below:
Our current price is around 3000 USD/kg for small quantities of pure powder with GMP.
For the cost of commercial order quantities, please get in touch with us directly.
Now check its prices from pharmacompass for a brief cost idea:
As we can see from the screenshot above, the average prices are around 3868 USD per kg, with the highest offer at 24328 USD per kg, which is highly doubtful.
The lowest cost is 1727 USD per kg in an importing country like India, which is highly possible for APIs without GMP approval.
Anyway, its price is not fixed. Contact us anytime for a quote if you need the latest cost ideas.
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only and is intended for business-to-business communication within the pharmaceutical industry. It is not intended as medical advice. The manufacture, import, and use of API must comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the relevant country or region.
This blog post is informational only and does not constitute medical advice.
Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment.
