Hexestrol residues and metabolites in the tissues of wethers injected with hexestrol dicaprylate or hexestrol.

Abstract

Four young (23 kg body weight) and two mature wethers (52 and 92 kg body weight) were subcutaneously injected with hexestrol (HX) or HX dicaprylate (HX-D) and killed 41 d later. The HX residues, comprising free, glucuronide and KOH hydrolyzable forms plus metabolites were determined by gas chromatography after liquid-liquid extraction and silica gel chromatographic purification of tissue sample. The HX residues were observed to be at concentrations of .1 to 1.0 ppb in most of the tissues examined. Maturity of the animals and the two hormonal formulations resulted in little difference in residues. The KOH hydrolyzable fraction was hardly detected in the tissues examined. Free HX was a major residue in muscle, representing about 70% of HX residues. Glucuronide HX represented 70 to 80% of HX residues in liver and kidney. In lung, glucuronide and free HX were present in similar amounts. This study showed that the gross metabolic patterns of HX and its esters are similar to other estrogens and steroids.