CAPACITY OF RATS LIVER TO INACTIVATE DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE

Abstract

CERTAIN CRYSTALLINE ESTROGENS AND ANDROGENS (1–7) and t h e endogenous ovarian estrogens and testicular androgens of the rat (8–12) are inactivated by the liver. Such evidence is used to explain the fact that natural estrogens and androgens are relatively ineffective when administered by mouth. Kuizenga, Nelson and Cartland (13) found that 2, of the adrenal steroids, corticoster one and dehydrocorticosterone, as well as certain adrenal cortical extracts were just as effective orally as when given subcutaneously. This indicates that these adrenal substances, unlike the gonadal hormones, are not inactivated by the liver. Desoxycorticosterone acetate, on the contrary, was found to be much less effective orally than parenterally. By transplantation experiments in the rat, Eversole, Edelmann and Gaunt (14) have shown that the endogenous adrenal hormone or hormones necessary For maintenance of life are not inactivated by the liver.