THE METABOLISM OF DEHYDROEPIANDROSTERONE IN VARIOUS ORGANS OF THE RAT

Abstract
Ten minutes after the intra-peritoneal injection of dehydroepiandrosterone-7[alpha]-H3 into a 45 day old male rat, testosterone was detected only in the testes as the primary metabolite. Aetiocholan-3[alpha]-ol-17-one was found in the liver, seminal vesicles and kidneys and unidentified polar compounds were found in all the organs investigated. No androst-4-ene-3,17-dione was detected in any of the organs as a metabolite of dehydroepiandrosterone and no testosterone in the testes following the injection of 4-C14-androst-4-ene-3,17-dione. The possible mechanism of the conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone to testosterone is discussed.