TESTOSTERONE TREATMENT AND 17-KETOSTEROID EXCRETION

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Abstract
The purpose of the investigations was primarily to decide whether detns. of the 17-KS excretion in the urine might serve as an objective means of finding the most economical mode of admn. of testosterone propionate. Nine women suffering from mammary or uterine carcinoma and one healthy man were treated with testosterone propionate (or free testosterone) and the 17-KS excretion was detd. before, during and after the treatment. The technic used was the Callow modification of the Zimmermann reaction with correction for unspecific urinary chromogens. For most urines, cold ether extraction of 1/50 of a 24-hr. urine after acid hydrolysis was performed. Altogether 524 urines were examined, and the analyses were performed consecutively for at least 18 and at most 138 days. The prepns. used were testosterone propionate in oil or in crystal suspension, implantation tablets, alcoholic solns. of testosterone propionate and testosterone, and cis-testosterone. An increased 17-KS excretion was found for 1-2 days after oral admn. of testosterone propionate; for 3 days after percutaneous application of testosterone in alcoholic soln.; for 3-5 days after intra-musc. injn. of TP in oil; for an avg. of 12 days after intramusc. injn. of TP crystals; and for 4-7 weeks after implantation of TP tablets. When the ultimate absorption of TP from intramusc. oil deposits was rated as 100, the following figures were found crystals 100; implanted tablets 50, orally admd. TP 20, per-cutaneously admd. testosterone: 10, and percutaneously admd. TP less than 8. A fairly uniform absorption was obtained when intramusc. injn. of TP in oil were given daily, intramusc. injns. of crystal suspensions once a week, and implantation of tablets once a month. Cis-testosterone was excreted as 17-KS only to a very slight degree (2-3%). An inhibition of the hypophyseal secretion of corticotrophic and gonadotrophic hormones was noticed in several instances.