In-vivo metabolic study of a new designer steroid substance 6β-chlorotestosterone

Code: 21C05GH

Objectives: 

The use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) can increase body dimensions, muscular strength, and lean body mass in athletes. 6β-chloro-4-androsten-17β-ol-3-one (6β-chlorotestosterone), a new designer steroid substance, with an added 6-chloro group in the B-ring of a testosterone derivative, was reported existing in many dietary supplements [1]. This steroid substance is usually undetectable due to the lack of detection window in routine analysis [2]. Cheating athletes have a strong motive to take this designer steroid in order to both achieve performance enhancement and to escape from testing positive in anti-doping tests [3]. 

Methodology and experimental design:

1. Excretion studies will be conducted after 6β-chlorotestosterone took by 4 volunteers (two male, two female) at least. Urine samples will be collected and detected for 2 months or longer.
2. In order to evaluate the effect of 6β-chlorotestosterone to steroid profile, 6β-chlorotestosterone excretion urine samples will be analyzed by GC-MSn.
3. Steroid-like drugs are always extensive metabolized in human. Phase I metabolite and phase II metabolites will be extracted by different methods such as SPE or LLE. Enrichment procedure such as preparative performance liquid chromatography may also be employed for low concentration metabolites. 
4. Metabolites especially long term metabolites will be identified and characterized by LC-Q Extractive MS. Currently, liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) represents the most powerful metabolomics platform. Metabolites will be analyzed and identified in targeted mode and untargeted mode using accurate mass measurements.