AVODART™ / DUTASTERIDE
The Biggest News In Hair Loss Treatment Since Propecia
FDA clearance for Avodart or dutasteride was granted to GlaxoSmithKline on October 9, 2002. This is the biggest news in hair loss treatment since Propecia. If you want the latest discussions, debates and developments about Avodart or Dutasteride, visit the hair loss forum. But if you just want to read about forum summaries and important issues about Avodart or Dutasteride on an ongoing basis, this page will be very helpful. Most information here are courtesy of posters in the Dutasteride Forum.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Avodart (dutasteride) hair loss survey results.
What is Avodart or Dutasteride?
Active ingredients
Topical Dutasteride
Dutasteride vs Finasteride
Standard does
Maximum effect
Side effects, warnings, concerns
Optimal dose for hair loss
Administration with or without food
Genuine Avodart
Storage
Half-life and dosing schemes
Availability and pricing information
Getting a script
Unofficial results as of Jan 9th, 2003
Dutasteride for women
Hair Loss Drugs - Low cost generic Finasteride (brand name Propecia) and Dutasteride (brand name Avodart) now available at 4rx with lowest cost and price match guarantee. They are manufactured by Cipla and GenP, both reputable names in generic drugs industry.
WHAT IS AVODART OR DUTASTERIDE?
After 30 Dutasteride forums in HairSite and endless speculation for almost two years, Dutasteride is finally a reality under the brand name Avodart™ !
The FDA approval for NDA#21-319/s-001 was given on October 9, 2002 and the label was posted on the same day.
This is the biggest news in hair loss treatment since FDA's clearance for Propecia in December 1997. The interesting thing is that Avodart is NOT a hair loss drug !!
Avodart™ (Dutasteride) is approved for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Not to be mistakened with prostate cancer, BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate glands. It is fairly common among older men aged 50 or above. BPH usually manifest in a variety of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as urinary frequency, urgency, nighttime urination, decrease in urinary stream, incomplete emptying and incontinence etc.
Avodart is a synthetic 4-azasteroid compound. It is the first FDA approved medication that can inhibit both types of 5-alpha reductase (5AR), an enzyme that is commonly believed to responsible for the conversion of testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is widely suggested that DHT is the main androgen responsible for prostate growth as well as male pattern baldness.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS
Avodart standard dosage is 0.5mg of the active ingredient dutasteride per soft gelatin capsule. The capsule is compounded by dissolving 0.5mg of dutaseride in a combination of mono-di-glycerides caprylic/capric acid and butylated hydroxytoluene. Other ingredients include BSE-free bovine gelatin, glycerin and yellow ferric oxide.
TOPICAL DUTASTERIDE
If you are able to obtain Dutasteride in its raw form, you might even be able to compound your own Dutasteride topical solution. It was reported in Avodart's prescribing information that the medication is absorbed through the skin as well. Dutasteride in its raw form is a white-yellowish powder. It is insoluble in water but can easily be dissolved in ethanol (44mg/mL), methanol (64 mg/mL) and polyethylene glycol 400 (3mg/mL). However, please note that effectiveness of Dutasteride or Avodart as a hair loss treatment has not been clinically established.
