STUDIES OF HEPATIC EXCRETORY FUNCTION. THE EFFECT OF 17α-ETHYL-19-NORTESTOSTERONE ON SULFOBROMOPHTHALEIN SODIUM (BSP) METABOLISM IN MAN*

Abstract

The administration of 17[alpha]-ethyl-19-nortestosterone to subjects with neither clinical nor chemical evidence of liver disease resulted in reversible reduction in the hepatic transport maximum for sulfobromophthalein sodium (BSP). The relative hepatic storage of BSP was unimpaired and BSP was retained in the plasma primarily as a conjugate. Light microscopic examination of 2 liver biopsies was normal except for BSP within parenchymal cells and fragmented ATPase staining reaction of bile canaliculi. Electron microscopic examination revealed variable dilatation of bile canaliculi and normal intracellular organelles. These studies suggest that 17[alpha]-ethyl-19-nortestosterone interferes with the transfer of BSP conjugates from the liver cell into the bile.