FURTHER STUDIES ON THE ANDROGENICITY OF PROGESTERONE1

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Abstract
Immature castrate [male] rats (29 days old) were treated with 2.0 mg, crystalline progesterone daily in oil soln. Treatment was begun immediately after castration and continued for 10 days. This dosage, when administered subcut., maintained the wts. of the ventral prostate and seminal vesicles above the untreated castrate level. The same dose, when administered intraperit., was less effective in maintaining the accessories. The prostates of the subcut. treated animals showed definite histological evidence of androgenic stimulation, while those of the intraperit. treated animals showed little or no histological evidence of stimulation. Progesterone, like estrogens and androgens, is more effective when administered subcut. than when administered intraperit. Progesterone was androgenic per se, or at least the adrenals were not involved in the androgenic activity exhibited by progesterone.