Estrogen Pharmacology. I. The Influence of Estradiol and Estriol on Hepatic Disposal of Sulfobromophthalein (BSP) in Man*

Abstract

This report 1 describes the influence of natural estrogens on liver function, with special reference to sulfobromophthalein (BSP) excretion, in man. Pharmacological amounts of the hormone estradiol consistently induced alterations in BSP disposal that were shown, through the techniques of Wheeler and associates (2, 3), to result from profound depression of the hepatic secretory transport maximum (Tm) for the dye. Chromatographic analysis of plasma BSP components revealed increased amounts of BSP conjugates during estrogen as compared with control pe- riods, implying a hormonal effect on cellular proc- esses concerned with transport of dye from he- patocytes into biliary canaliculi. Estriol, an in vivo transformation product of estradiol, also im- paired hepatic disposal of BSP in man. Accord- ing to unpublished data of Hertz (4) 2 estrone, ethinyl estradiol, and equine estrogens act simi- larly, and it is likely that other C-18 steroids of both physiologic and synthetic origin have this property as well. These observations define a new