Clostebol

Medical uses

Clostebol acetate ointment has ophthalmological and dermatological use. In some countries, such as Italy, it is available without a prescription as a topical cream or spray for the treatment of (infected) skin wounds such as abrasions, erosions, fissures, burns and to help speed up the healing of the area.

In Italy, it is sold as a spray and cream, with the brand name Trofodermin, containing a combination of clostebol acetate and neomycin.

Side effects

Chemistry

Clostebol, also known as 4-chlorotestosterone or as 4-chloroandrost-4-en-17β-ol-3-one, is a synthetic androstane steroid and a derivative of testosterone. It is specifically the 4-chlorinated derivative of testosterone.

Society and culture

Nutritional supplements

A related anabolic steroid, methylclostebol, is a common additive in so-called dietary supplements, generally listed in the convoluted form 4-chloro-17α-methyl-androst-4-en-17β-ol-3-one.

Publicized abuse or contamination cases

Use of clostebol has led to the suspension of a number of athletes in various sports including Freddy Galvis of the Philadelphia Phillies in 2012, Dee Gordon of the Miami Marlins in 2016, Olympic athlete Viktoria Orsi Toth in 2016, Serie A soccer player José Luis Palomino of Club Atlanta, and Orlando Galo from C.S. Herediano in 2022.

In 2016, urinalysis resulted in Therese Johaug testing positive for clostebol.

Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner tested positive for clostebol in two different urine samples on 8 March and 10 March 2024. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found Sinner was inadvertently contaminated with the substance by his physiotherapist who had been applying the healing spray Trofodermin, available over-the counter in Italy, to treat a cut on his own hand and had then carried out treatments on Sinner. Sinner was stripped of $325,000 in prize money and 400 ranking points earned at the Indian Wells Open, but wasn't suspended initially because an independent tribunal ruled that it was not intentional. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced in February 2025 they entered a "case resolution agreement" with Sinner. WADA accepted the cause and explanation of the positive test but stated "an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence". A three-month suspension was handed down with Sinner being ineligible from tennis competition from 9 February to 4 May 2025.

Regulation

In the U.S., clostebol is listed as a Schedule III controlled substance, meaning the U.S. federal government considers it to have a potential for abuse as well as a currently accepted medical use.

References

References

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5. (August 2011). "Clostebol acetate". Acta Crystallographica Section E: Structure Reports Online.
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8. (July 11, 2016). "Phillies say they will welcome Stumpf back after drug suspension".
9. (2016-04-29). "Marlins 2B Dee Gordon suspended 80 games after PEDs violation". ESPN.
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11. (2022-07-26). "Report Atalanta's Palomino Fails Doping Test".
12. (2022-10-22). "World Cup doping: Costa Rica's Galo positive for steroid". AP.
13. (2016-10-17). "Advokat: – Johaug fikk hele pakken". NRK.
14. (13 October 2016). "Slik hevder Johaug å ha fått i seg det forbudte stoffet". Dagbladet.
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16. (August 20, 2024). "Jannik Sinner, world No. 1, tested positive for a steroid twice but will not be suspended". Tennis.com.
17. (20 August 2024). "Jannik Sinner cleared of any wrongdoing after twice testing positive for banned substance in March".
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19. (2024-09-28). "WADA to appeal Sinner doping verdict, seeks ban".
20. (2024-09-28). "Jannik Sinner: Wada appeals to Cas over exoneration after failed drug tests verdict".
21. (2025-02-15). "Jannik Sinner: Italian banned for three months for doping".
22. (2025-02-15). "Sinner accepts three-month doping ban after striking deal with WADA". ABC News.