Zytiga (abiraterone acetate) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

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May 27, 2012

Zytiga

Prostate Cancer »

What is the prostate gland?

The prostate gland is an organ that is located at the base or outlet (neck) of the urinary bladder. (See the diagram that follows.) The gland surrounds the first part of the urethra. The urethra is the passage through which urine drains from the bladder to exit from the penis. One function of the prostate gland is to help control urination by pressing directly against the part of the urethra that it surrounds. The main function of the prostate gland is to produce some of the substances that are found in normal semen, such as minerals and sugar. Semen is the fluid that transports the sperm to assist with reproduction. A man can manage quite well, however, without his prostate gland. (See the section on surgical treatment for prostate cancer.)

In a young man, the normal prostate gland is the size of a walnut (<30g). During normal aging, however, the gland usually grows larger. This hormone-related enlargement with aging is called b...

Read the Prostate Cancer article »

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ZYTIGA™
(abiraterone acetate) Tablets

DRUG DESCRIPTION

Abiraterone acetate, the active ingredient of ZYTIGA is the acetyl ester of abiraterone. Abiraterone is an inhibitor of CYP17 (17α-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase). Each ZYTIGA tablet contains 250 mg of abiraterone acetate. Abiraterone acetate is designated chemically as (3β)17-(3-pyridinyl)androsta-5,16-dien-3-yl acetate and its structure is:

ZYTIGA™ (abiraterone acetate) Structural Formula Illustration

Abiraterone acetate is a white to off-white, non-hygroscopic, crystalline powder. Its molecular formula is C26H33NO2 and it has a molecular weight of 391.55. Abiraterone acetate is a lipophilic compound with an octanol-water partition coefficient of 5.12 (Log P) and is practically insoluble in water. The pKa of the aromatic nitrogen is 5.19.

Inactive ingredients in the tablets are lactose monohydrate, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, povidone, sodium lauryl sulfate, magnesium stearate, and colloidal silicon dioxide.

Last reviewed on RxList: 6/7/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.