THE EFFECT OF 17α-METHYL-19-NORTESTOSTERONE ON THE EXCRETION OF NEUTRAL 17-KETOSTEROIDS AND 17-HYDROXYCORTICOSTEROIDS IN ADULT MALES

Abstract

In 1954 17α-methyl-19-nortestosterone was synthetized by Djerassi et al. at the same time as 17α-ethinyl-19-nortestosterone. The latter substance was found to exert a progestational effect when administered orally, both in rabbits (Hertz et al., 1954) and in women (Greenblatt, 1956). In 1956 Ferin demonstrated that 17α-methyl-19-nortestosterone also had a progestational effect when administered orally to women. Overbeek & de Visser (1956) obtained a marked progestational effect by the administration of 17-α-methyl-19-nortestosterone in rats and rabbits. Male rats treated with this substance showed a reduction in the volume of the seminal vesicle and the prostate. Pincus et al. (1956) tested four 19-norsteroids. including 17α-methyl-19-nortestosterone for their progestational and oestrogenic effect on rabbits, and Roch et al. (1956) investigated the effect of some 19-norsteroids on women. Saunders et al. (1957) investigated an even larger series of substances in