METABOLISM OF THE STEROID HORMONES—THE METABOLISM OF PROGESTERONE AND ETHYNYL TESTOSTERONE1

Abstract

This investigation is concerned with the possible conversion of ethynyl testosterone to pregnanediol-3(α), 20(α), the question of absorption of progesterone from the gastrointestinal tract, and the conversion of progesterone to pregnanol-3(α)-one-20. Allen, Viegiver and Soule (1944) reported the excretion of a conjugated steroid in the urine of patients suffering from secondary amenorrhea who had received ethynyl testosterone. Pregnanediol- 3(α), 20(α) was not actually identified but the authors suggested that the isolated material contained pregnanediol-3(α),20(α) or a related steroid. Other workers have been unable to demonstrate the presence of pregnanediol-3(α),20(α) after the administration of ethynyl testosterone (Goldberg and Hardegger, 1941; Hamblen, Cuyler and Hirst, 1940). During the course of our investigations on the absorption of progesterone from the gastrointestinal tract a paper by Masson and Hoffman (1945) appeared which demonstrated that progesterone may be absorbed from the gut in the rabbit. Our studies on the absorption of progesterone from the gastro-intestinal tract were done in men.