17hydroxyl
17hydroxyl is a shorthand reference to the presence of a hydroxyl (–OH) group at the 17th carbon atom of a steroid nucleus. In steroid chemistry and endocrinology, the position and stereochemistry of hydroxyl substituents (commonly 17α or 17β) profoundly influence biological activity, receptor binding, and metabolic fate.
As a structural descriptor, "17-hydroxy-" appears in the names of many endogenous and synthetic steroids. Examples
Biologically, enzymes that act at carbon 17 are central to steroid biosynthesis. CYP17A1 (17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase) converts pregnenolone
In chemical nomenclature and pharmacology, noting a 17-hydroxyl group helps predict reactivity, metabolism, and pharmacodynamic properties