Hydroxysteroid compounds of formula: or a salt thereof, wherein: is independently either a single bond, a double bond or a cyclopropyl ring, provided that adjacent double bonds are not allowed; A 1 and A 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, hydroxymethyl, halogen, and C 1 -C 6 alkyl; B and C are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, halogen, -OR 6, -COR 6, -COOR 6, -OCOR 6, -CH 2 OH, -CH 2 OR 6, -C R 6 R 7, -NHR 6, - NHR 5 CONHR 6, -R 6 NHCOOR 7, -NR 6 R 7, C heteroaryl, C heterocyclyl, C 1 -C 12 straight or branched chain alkyl, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-6 membered heteroaryl; wherein the C 1 -C 12 straight or branched chain alkyl, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, or 5-6 membered heteroaryl are further optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, -OR 6, -COOR 6,-CONHR 6, -OCOR 6, =NOH, -NR 6 R 7, -NR 6 COR 7, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, 5-6 membered heteroaryl, C 1 -C 12 alkyl substituted 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and C 1 -C 12 alkyl substituted 5-6 membered heteroaryl; or B and C may combine together to form a substituent selected from the group consisting of =O, =NOR 6, =NR 6, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-6 membered heteroaryl; wherein the 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl or 5-6 membered heteroaryl contains one or more heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, hydroxyl, halogen, =O, - OR 6, -NR 6 R 7, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-OCOR 6,-CONR 6 R 7, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, and -Otert-butyldimethylsilyl; R 5 is selected from hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, OR 6; R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, hydroxyl, halogen, -OR 6, - NR 5 R 7, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-OCOR 6,-CONR 6 R 7, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, and -Otert-butyldimethylsilyl; R 6 and R 7 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, C 1 -C 12 alkyl, -NH 2, -(CH 2)nNH 2, 3-6 membered cycloalkyl, 4-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-6 membered heteroaryl; and n is 0 to 3. is independently either a single bond, a double bond or a cyclopropyl ring, provided that adjacent double bonds are not allowed; A 1 and A 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, hydroxymethyl, halogen, and C 1 -C 6 alkyl; B and C are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, halogen, -OR 6, -COR 6, -COOR 6, -OCOR 6, -CH 2 OH, -CH 2 OR 6, -C R 6 R 7, -NHR 6, - NHR 5 CONHR 6, -R 6 NHCOOR 7, -NR 6 R 7, C heteroaryl, C heterocyclyl, C 1 -C 12 straight or branched chain alkyl, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-6 membered heteroaryl; wherein the C 1 -C 12 straight or branched chain alkyl, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, or 5-6 membered heteroaryl are further optionally substituted with one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, -OR 6, -COOR 6,-CONHR 6, -OCOR 6, =NOH, -NR 6 R 7, -NR 6 COR 7, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, 5-6 membered heteroaryl, C 1 -C 12 alkyl substituted 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and C 1 -C 12 alkyl substituted 5-6 membered heteroaryl; or B and C may combine together to form a substituent selected from the group consisting of =O, =NOR 6, =NR 6, 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-6 membered heteroaryl; wherein the 5-6 membered heterocycloalkyl or 5-6 membered heteroaryl contains one or more heteroatoms selected from O, N, and S; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, hydroxyl, halogen, =O, - OR 6, -NR 6 R 7, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-OCOR 6,-CONR 6 R 7, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, and -Otert-butyldimethylsilyl; R 5 is selected from hydrogen, hydroxy, halogen, OR 6; R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, deuterium, hydroxyl, halogen, -OR 6, - NR 5 R 7, -COR 6, -COOR 6,-OCOR 6,-CONR 6 R 7, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, and -Otert-butyldimethylsilyl; R 6 and R 7 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, C 1 -C 12 alkyl, -NH 2, -(CH 2)nNH 2, 3-6 membered cycloalkyl, 4-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and 5-6 membered heteroaryl; and n is 0 to 3.