Studies on the formation of hepatic DNA adducts by the antiandrogenic and gestagenic drug, cyproterone acetate: 1. adduct levels in various species including man and 2. persistence and accumulation in the rat.

Abstract

Cyproterone acetate (CPA) [Fig. 1] is a sex steroid with strong antiandrogenic and gestagenic action, which is widely used in human therapy. Upon long term feeding CPA causes liver tumors in rats [1]; this activity has been attributed to tumor promotion. The safety of the therapeutic use of the steroid has been questioned recently, since findings from our laboratories indicate that CPA exhibits genotoxic activity. CPA induces DNA repair synthesis in cultured hepatocytes from female rats [2] and the formation of CPA-derived DNA adducts in rat liver and in hepatocytes [3].