Steroids.

PIP: The structure, sources, synthesis, economics, and the present and future marketing of male and female sex steroids and corticoids are summarized. Physiologically, and historically in industry, steroids were made from cholesterol. Now most steroids are produced from diosgenin, an akaloid from the Mexican Dioscorea plant. Other sources are stigmasterol from soybeans, hecogenin from sissal waste, bile acids, and total synthesis. Unlike prices of corticoids which have been low for lack of patent protection, prices of sex steroids, especially oral contraceptives, have fallen only 50%, although doses have decreased 90%. There are 735 million women of fertile age, so prices could fall to an unlikely $1 per year without hurting sales. The major companies and subsidiaries, patent holders, and licencees of steroids in South America, U.S., Europe, Iron Curtain countries, Asia, and Africa were listed with their products. In the future oral contraceptives will be joined with minipills, injectables, once monthly pills, and steroid treatment of menopause. Postcoital pills and pills taken for delayed menses may be developed, but used clandestinely because of government and moral barriers. Corticoids are now used an analogs, with a growing market for topical ointments. Steroids will find uses in domestic animal estrus control, rat control, and insect hormones isolated from plant sources for insect control.^ieng