CAS 3078-34-0: 6B-hydroxycortisol

6β-Hydroxycortisol is a metabolite of cortisol, which is a corticosteroid hormone synthesized by the adrenal cortex. This compound is formed in the human body through the process of enzymatic hydroxylation, primarily catalyzed by the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP3A4. The transformation of cortisol to 6β-Hydroxycortisol is an important pathway for the inactivation of cortisol, altering its physiological activity and aiding in its excretion. 6β-Hydroxycortisol has significant applications in the study of drug metabolism as a biomarker for assessing the activity of CYP3A4, an enzyme vital for the metabolism of many pharmaceutical compounds. By measuring the levels of this metabolite in biological samples, researchers can gain insights into the functional status of CYP3A4, thus providing valuable information for drug interaction studies, individualized medication dosing, and the assessment of liver function. Its presence and concentration reflect changes in enzyme activity in response to drug treatment, aiding in the optimization of therapeutic regimens and the understanding of pharmacokinetic variations among different patient populations.