Skip to Content
Merck
All Photos(5)

Key Documents

P9129

Sigma-Aldrich

5-Pregnen-3β-ol-20-one

≥98%

Synonym(s):

3β-Hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one, Pregnenolone

Sign Into View Organizational & Contract Pricing


About This Item

Empirical Formula (Hill Notation):
C21H32O2
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
316.48
Beilstein:
2059026
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352211
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.77

biological source

synthetic (organic)

Quality Level

Assay

≥98%

form

powder

solubility

ethanol: soluble 10 mg/mL, clear, colorless to faintly yellow

functional group

ketone

shipped in

ambient

storage temp.

room temp

SMILES string

[H][C@@]12CC=C3C[C@@H](O)CC[C@]3(C)[C@@]1([H])CC[C@]4(C)[C@H](CC[C@@]24[H])C(C)=O

InChI

1S/C21H32O2/c1-13(22)17-6-7-18-16-5-4-14-12-15(23)8-10-20(14,2)19(16)9-11-21(17,18)3/h4,15-19,23H,5-12H2,1-3H3/t15-,16-,17+,18-,19-,20-,21+/m0/s1

InChI key

ORNBQBCIOKFOEO-QGVNFLHTSA-N

Gene Information

human ... SERPINA6(866)
rat ... Ar(24208)

Looking for similar products? Visit Product Comparison Guide

Application

5-Pregnen-3β-ol-20-one is suitable for use:
  • as a substrate for 3β-HSD at a concentration of 1 μg/mL to study the time-dependent effect of reduced oxygen tension on 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) activity
  • as a progestin precursor to study the effects of splenic macrophages on progestin secretion of luteal cells
  • in the testicular interstitial cell culture medium at a concentration of 15mg/mL

Biochem/physiol Actions

One of a small number of "neurosteroids," steroids synthesized in the brain rather than peripheral sources. Decreased levels of these neurosteroids has been implicated in rodent cognitive decline with age, but studies in humans have been contradictory.
Testosterone production in rats occurs in Leydig cells of the testis via the Δ4 pathway. Cholesterol is first converted to pregnenolone, then to progesterone, and finally to testosterone. Pregnenolone is the key neurosteroid synthesized in steroidogenic glands. It is also present as a sulfate ester that serves as an antagonist of GABAergic neurons by interacting with γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor.

Storage Class Code

13 - Non Combustible Solids

WGK

WGK 3

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

Already Own This Product?

Find documentation for the products that you have recently purchased in the Document Library.

Visit the Document Library

Z Y Hu et al.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 84(23), 8215-8219 (1987-12-01)
Oligodendrocyte mitochondria from 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley male rats were incubated with 100 nM [3H]cholesterol. It yielded [3H]pregnenolone at a rate of 2.5 +/- 0.7 and 5-[3H]pregnene-3 beta, 20 alpha-diol at a rate of 2.5 +/- 1.1 pmol per mg of protein
Jui-Hsia Weng et al.
Nature chemical biology, 9(10), 636-642 (2013-08-21)
Pregnenolone (P5) is a neurosteroid that improves memory and neurological recovery. It is also required for zebrafish embryonic development. However, its mode of action is unclear. Here we show that P5 promotes cell migration and microtubule polymerization by binding a
S Matsuyama et al.
Endocrinologia japonica, 39(1), 51-57 (1992-02-01)
We have reported that splenic macrophages play a role in the regulation of progestin secretion in rats. In this study, splenic macrophages were obtained from cycling rats at different estrous cycle stages and co-cultured with luteal cells from mid-pseudopregnant rats
S Onami et al.
Endocrine journal, 43(5), 477-485 (1996-10-01)
A large amount of LH/hCG treatment given to male rats is known to suppress the enzyme activity of cytochrome P450c17 in Leydig cells for 48 h. A high dose LH/hCG injection is also known to allow immunocytes, such as macrophages
Fenfen Chen et al.
Biology of reproduction, 100(3), 824-832 (2018-10-10)
We reported that FGIN-1-27 (N,N-dihexyl-2-(4-fluorophenyl)indole-3-acetamide, FGIN), a synthetic ligand for translocator protein (TSPO, 18 kDa), increased serum testosterone levels in young and aged Brown Norway rats after its administration daily for 10 days. It is not known, however, how soon

Our team of scientists has experience in all areas of research including Life Science, Material Science, Chemical Synthesis, Chromatography, Analytical and many others.

Contact Technical Service