RESPONSES OF THE FEMALE TO MALE HORMONE SUBSTANCES

Abstract

THERE is an accumulating body of evidence that the female organism is capable of producing male hormone (androgenic) substances and of re acting morphologically and physiologically to these substances. The production of androgenic substances by the female under normal conditions. Androgenically active material is excreted daily in the urine of normal women. The amount has been calculated to be from 42, to 56 international units (i.u.) (1). Although these figures cannot be considered as final values they serve to indicate that women excrete appreciable amounts of androgenic material, in terms of activity, as much as two-thirds of that excreted by men. Callow and Callow (2) have isolated from the urine of normal women, androsterone and dehydroandrosterone, which are the two androgenic compounds known to be present in the urine of men; moreover, the yield was comparable to that obtained from the urine of men. It is entirely possible that these two androgenic end'products in the urine of women are derived from a different source from those of the male, but the point to be emphasized is that there are female hormones in the male individual and that male hormones are present in sizable quantities in the body tissues and fluids of the female individual.