A COMPARISON OF THE RENOTROPHIC WITH THE ANDROGENIC ACTIVITY OF VARIOUS STEROIDS

Abstract

The effect of 39 steroids on the size of kidneys, seminal vesicles, prostates and thymus of the castrated mouse (dba strain) was studied by the subcut. implantation of the steroids as cylindrical pellets weighing 14 [plus or minus] 1 mg. 21 of the compounds significantly increased the kidney and 16 the seminal vesicle and prostate wts. of the animals. The changes are related to the chemical structure of the substances. A comparison of the renotrophic with the androgenic effect revealed that androstanediol-3[alpha], 17[alpha] and to a greater extent its 17-methyl derivative preferentially increased the kidney size to a marked degree. A similar but probably not identical effect was obtained when either an [alpha]-estradiol or desoxycorticosterone pellet was implanted simultaneously with a pellet of testosterone. A somewhat greater renotrophic-androgenic ratio was observed in the mice treated for 10 days than in those treated for 30 days. The relative efficacy of the renotrophic and androgenic effects suggested that the rate of absorption of many of the steroids, especially testosterone, 17-methyl testosterone and testosterone propionate, provided more of the hormone than was necessary for the maximal needs of the organism. The urinary hydroxy ketones showed slight or no activity. The thymus decreased in size in proportion to the androgenic or estrogenic activity of the steroids except for the adrenal cortical steroids. The order of potency of the latter compounds was: 17-hydroxy, 11-dehydrocorticosterone, 11-de-hydrocorticosterone and desoxycorticosterone.