Investigation of pH and substituent effects on the distribution ratio of novel steroidal ring D- and A-fused arylpyrazole regioisomers and evaluation of their cell-growth inhibitory effects in vitro.

•Knorr reactions of steroidal β-ketoaldehydes with arylhydrazines were carried out.•Pyrazole heteroring was introduced into rings D and A of the sterane core.•Solvent and substituent effects on the regioisomeric distribution were investigated.•Reactivity of the sterane precursors was compared.•Antiproliferative effects were determined in vitro on human breast cancer cell lines.