THE VALUE OF VARIOUS LABORATORY PROCEDURES IN THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE DURATION OF ACTION OF ANDROGENS

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Abstract
The effectiveness and duration of action of various androgenic steroids was studied using 3 different methods; namely, measurement of the urinary 17-ketosteroid (17-KS) excretion in humans, determination of gonadotropic-inhibiting action in parabiotic rats, and measurement of the growth-promoting effect upon the seminal vesicles and prostate glands of castrate male rats. The growth-promoting effect upon the levator ani muscle in the castrate rat was also used occasionally. It was concluded that an increase in urinary 17-KS excretion could not be used as a reliable measure of androgenic activity since certain oral prepns. ineffective clinically, resulted in a marked increase in 17-KS excretion while other substances with known androgenic properties either increased 17-KS excretion very little or actually depressed it. Gonadotropic assay and muscle assay were not satisfactory since quantitation of effect with different dose levels could not be attained. The growth of male accessory glands, however, proved to be an acceptable method for quantitating the effectiveness of various androgens. Both testosterone cyclopentylpropionate and testosterone phenylacetate proved to be the most active preparations with respect to effectiveness (weight increase) and duration of action. The remaining compounds tested are listed in order of decreasing activity: testosterone isobutyrate, testosterone as an aqueous phosphate suspension, testosterone propionate as an aqueous suspension, testosterone as an aqueous suspension, testosterone propionate in oil, and testosterone in oil.

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