Furazabol was originally manufactured in Japan in tabs of 1 mg strength. Dan Duchaine was very unimpressed with this drug, noting that he rarely saw any very large Japanese bodybuilders. I'm inclined to agree, but let's take a look at it, since it has become quite popular ever since its reappearance on many underground labs' price lists.
Finding out information on this stuff was agonizing, since most of it is in Japanese, and no athletes really use it. Anyway, with respect to its half-life and active life (and detection time), I'm pretty much estimating from what I've seen in studies. One study said that the half-lives of unchanged Furazabol in two human subjects were 1.87 and 1.29 h respectively, and the recovered amount in 48 h was averaged to 24% (33% for one, 15% for the other, respectively) (4). Unfortunately for tested athletes, Furazabol is metabolized in the body into 16-hydroxyfurazabol and then excreted in urine. The presence of this compound in urine can be monitored with a very simple, standard procedure (4) for urine screening, and this is incorporated into the general dope testing protocol for anabolic steroids employed by the IOC and other such no-fun-agencies.
The really interesting thing about this stuff (to me, anyway) is that it's a DHT-derived steroid, with a decent anabolic rating that lowers cholesterol! It is often compared with Winstrol, for many good reasons: structurally, it is a DHT molecule with a 17-alpha-methyl group (making it both liver-toxic and orally available, as you know). Additionally, it has no 3-keto group, which is needed for a strong androgenic binding ability, so this lack probably impairs its overall androgenic rating. As with Winstrol, it's not estrogenic in any way, doesn't aromatize, and you'll only have to worry about DHT-sides from it (acne, hairloss, etc.), and possible liver problems. However, while Winny really KILLS your cholesterol values, furazabol actually improves them! In one study, the administration of furazabol at the daily dose of 0.04, 0.2 or 1 mg/subject (in this case, rats) for 3 months, there were substantial increases noted in the plasminogen (a substance found in body fluids and blood plasma that, when activated, becomes plasminan enzyme found in plasma that catalyzes the breakdown of blood-clotting agents) activator activity in blood. Furthermore, in the rats' lung tissue there was an expected decrease in plasma fibrinogen level. This will, of course, serve to increase your blood-clotting time considerably. There was also a decrease in plasma cholesterol levels with administration of Furazabol (8), which certainly means it's a reasonably safe oral. One month after cessation of the furazabol treatment, these altered parameters tended to return to normal (8), as is very common with similar side effects from most anabolic steroids (notably, this is very similar to Winny, once again).
This steroid is quite confusing to me, as it was found to be a good treatment for hyperlipemia (it lowers cholesterol), and this was without affecting proteinuria (the prevention of excretion of amino acids) (12). Generally, steroids affect proteinuria positively, as you'd expect (and want) them to. This stuff is DHT-derived, and it also appears to have a relatively low androgen binding ability, which makes the lack of effect it had on proteinuria when compared with it's anabolic rating even more confusing. It should be noted that doses used in this study were oddly high for a product which comes in 1mg presentation: 1.1 mg/kg/day. That means a 200 lb bodybuilder would be using about 100 mg/day. I think a reasonable anabolic effect would be had with furazabol roughly 50-100mgs/day. This may also be a decent steroid for use in a cycle if one were worried about cholesterol. You'd get an anabolic effect (remember, its anabolic rating is roughly the same as Winstrol's); thus you could build muscle and lower cholesterol with just one pill. Well, actually about a hundred pills, since it comes in 1mg form. Why make a pill in 1mg form if you need to take 100/day? I just don't understand.
Furazabol is not estrogenic in any way. It's structure and its lack of estrogenic action make it an appropriate precontest drug, as I can't imagine anything gained with it being less than high-quality muscle. There is only a slim chance of androgenic risk, so this may be a nice drug for women as well as men, although certainly not worth consideration for the latter as a stand-alone anabolic. The most unfortunate part about this drug is it's current availability (low) and cost (high).
As a quick recap, let's just keep in mind that this stuff is essentially Winstrol that helps your cholesterol instead of harming it. I looked at the steran nucleus of both Winstrol and Miotolan (a likely candidate because, as I said, it also lowers cholesterol). They are both DHT-derived, which I knew off-hand, and this made me more curious about subbing Miotolan for the Winny. Anyway, they are DHT-Derived with a 17-alpha-methyl group (making them methylated, or 17aa, for oral availability). Neither have a 3-keto group; both having instead 2 nitrogen atoms and 2 double bondsa very weird looking structurewhich also makes them both very weak binders to the AR, perfect for stacking with the strong-binding-Tren. The difference (that I could see) between the two is that in lieu of the 2,3-pyrazol group found in the stanozolol structure, furazabol has a 2,3-furazan group (hence the name). Think of it as Winny, when you can't use Winny.
Miotolan Profile
(Furazabol)
[17-alpha-methyl-5-alpha-androsta-2,3-furazan,17b-ol]
Molecular Weight: 330.4692
Molecular Formula: C20H30N2O2
Melting Point: N/A
Manufacturer:Various Underground Labs
Release Date: 1989
Effective Dose: 1-2mg/kg of Bodyweight
Active Life:+/- 4 hours
Detection Time: 3 weeks
Anabolic/Androgenic Ratio: 270-330:73-94
References:
1. Improvement in steroid screening for doping control with special emphasis on stanozolol. J Chromatogr A. 2003 Jan 24;985(1-2):375-86. provement in steroid screening for doping control with special emphasis on
2. Excretion study of furazabol, an anabolic steroid, in human urine. J Chromatogr B Biomed Appl. 1996 Dec 6;687(1):79-83.
3. 17-Epimerization of 17 alpha-methyl anabolic steroids in humans: metabolism and synthesis of 17 alpha-hydroxy-17 beta-methyl steroids. Steroids. 1992 Nov;57(11):537-50.
4. Urinary excretion of furazabol metabolite. J Anal Toxicol. 1990 Mar-Apr;14(2):120-2.
5. Inhibitory effect and interaction of stanozolol with pig testicular cytochrome P-450 (17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase). Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 1989 Jul;37(7):1855-8.
6. Changes in the cytoplasmic androgen receptor of rat ventral prostate after administration of androgens, antiandrogens and anabolic steroids. Endocrinol Jpn. 1980 Aug;27(4):483-93.
7. Pharmacological studies on experimental nephritic rats. (4) Improvement of hyperlipemic models in rats utilizing anti-rat kidney rabbit serum and effects of anti-hyperlipemic agents on serum lipid levels. Jpn J Pharmacol. 1978 Oct;28(5):729-38.
8. Enhancement of fibrinolytic and thrombolytic potential in the rat by treatment with an anabolic steroid, furazabol. Thromb Haemost. 1976 Nov 30;36(2):451-64
9. Enhancement of fibrinolytic and thrombolytic potential in the rat by an anabolic steroid, furazabol.Thromb Res. 1976 May;8(2 suppl):107-14.
10. Some non-hormonal properties of 17 -hydroxy-17 -methyl-5 -androstano(2,3-c)furazan (furazabol). Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 1973 Jan;21(1):21-4.
11. [Influences of testosterone, progesterone and furazabol, an anabolic steroid, on the cholesterol-shifting response to estrone] Yakugaku Zasshi. 1972 Mar;92(3):316-21. Japanese
12. Suzuki Y, Honda Y, Ito M. Pharmacological studies on experimental nephritic rats. (4) Improvement of hyperlipemic models in rats utilizing anti-rat kidney rabbit serum and effects of anti-hyperlipemic agents on serum lipid levels. Jpn J Pharmacol 1978 Oct;28(5):729-38
13. Kim T, Suh JW, Ryu JC, Chung BC, Park J. Excretion study of furazabol, an anabolic steroid, in human urine. J Chromatogr B Biomed Appl 1996 Dec 6;687(1):79-83
