ANDROCUR

Country: Australia

Language: English

Source: Department of Health (Therapeutic Goods Administration)

Active ingredient:

Cyproterone acetate

Available from:

Bayer Australia Ltd

Class:

Medicine Registered

Patient Information leaflet

 
1309 ANDROCUR
®
 CMI 

Page 1 of 5 
ANDROCUR
®

(ANNE·DRO·CUR)
_ _

_cyproterone acetate _

CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION 

WHAT IS IN THIS 
LEAFLET 
This leaflet answers some 
common questions about 
Androcur. 

It does not contain all the 
available information. It does not 
take the place of talking to your 
doctor or pharmacist. 

All medicines have risks and 
benefits. Your doctor has 
weighed the risks of you taking 
Androcur against the benefits 
they expect it will have for you. 

IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT 
TAKING THIS MEDICINE, ASK YOUR 
DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST. 

KEEP THIS LEAFLET WITH THE 
MEDICINE. 
You may need to read it again. 
WHAT ANDROCUR IS 
USED FOR 
Androcur is an anti-androgen 
medicine.   

Androgens such as testosterone 
are natural male sex hormones 
which are also produced, to a 
slight extent, in females.   

MEN: 
In men, androgens may help 
cancer cells to grow in some 
types of prostate cancer. By 
blocking these hormones, 
Androcur may slow or stop the 
growth of cancer. Androcur may 
also be used in combination with 
other medicines or following 
surgical removal of the testes to 
treat side effects such as “hot 
flushes” or “sweats” and to 
prevent any initial worsening of 
the disease. 

Androcur is also used to reduce 
abnormal sex drive in men.  

WOMEN: 
In women, androgens may 
increase hair growth, loss of scalp 
hair and secretion of oil from the 
sweat glands. By blocking these 
hormones, Androcur may slow or 
stop excessive hairiness, loss of 
scalp hair, acne, oily skin and 
dandruff. 

ASK YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE ANY 
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY THIS 
MEDICINE HAS BEEN PRESCRIBED 
FOR YOU. 
Your doctor may have prescribed 
it for another reason.  

This medicine is available only 
with a doctor’s pr

Summary of Product characteristics

ANDROCUR
®
 PRODUCT INFORMATION 

NAME OF THE MEDICINE  

Androcur 10mg and Androcur 50mg 

Each pack contains tablets containing either 10mg or 50mg cyproterone
acetate. 

Cyproterone acetate: 

CH
3
CH
3
H
H
H
O
O
CH
3
O
Cl
O

Chemical Name: 
6-chloro-17
α hydroxy-1α,2α-methylene-pregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione 
actetate 
Molecular Formula: 
C
24
H
29
CIO
4

Molecular Mass: 
416.96 
CAS No.: 
427-51-0 

DESCRIPTION

Cyproterone acetate is a white to pale yellow crystalline powder.
M.P. 206-213
°C. 
Cyproterone acetate is very soluble in chloroform and
dioxane, freely soluble in acetone and 
benzene, soluble in ethanol, methanol and ethyl acetate, sparingly
soluble in solvent 
hexane, and almost insoluble in water. 

PHARMACOLOGY 

Androcur is an antiandrogenic hormone preparation.   

Cyproterone acetate inhibits competitively the effect
of androgens at androgen-dependent 
target organs, e.g. it shields the prostate from the effect of
androgens originating from the 
gonads and/or the adrenal cortex. Prostatic carcinoma and its
metastases are in general 
androgen-dependent, Androcur therefore exerts a
direct antiandrogenic action on the tumour 
and its metastases.  

Cyproterone acetate in addition has a progestogenic action exerting a
negative feedback 
effect centrally on the hypothalamic receptors, so leading to a
reduction in gonadotropin 
release, and hence to diminished production of
testicular androgens. Treatment with 
cyproterone acetate in men results in a reduction of sexual drive
and potency and inhibition 
of gonadal function. These changes are reversible following
discontinuation of the therapy. 

The antigonadotropic effect of cyproterone acetate is
also exerted when the substance is 
combined with LHRH agonists. The initial increase of testosterone
provoked by this 
substance group is decreased by cyproterone acetate.   

101109 ANDROCUR 10 mg, 50 mg  PI