A computer program for drawing structure formulas of the hormonal steroids used most frequently in endocrinology

A BASIC program has been developed for plotting planar structure formulas of steroid hormones. The structure formulas can be designed either by selecting distinct root-molecule shapes for further figuration of the wanted formula, i.e. androstane, 4-androstene, estrogen, cholestane, pregnane or 4-pregnene structures, or by editing detailed information concerning the molecule to be designed, starting with the number of carbon atoms, etc. The position of hydroxy and/or keto groups, as well as some stereochemical details, are also freely selectable according to the systematic steroid name. Graphs are displayed on the screen and can be printed. The program is supported by most of the conventional BASIC versions running on personal computers with graphic abilities, since graphic symbols are predominantly used for drawing the structure formulas instead of lettering the symbols.