METABOLISM OF THE STEROID HORMONES

Abstract

In a preliminary report (1) from this laboratory, we reported the conversion of desoxycorticosterone to pregnanediol-3(ar) ,20(a) in the ovariectomized chimpanzee.This report deals with the details of the experiments on the chimpanzee as well as similar studies on three men and one woman.Cuyler et al.(2) presented suggestive evidence that the conversion of desoxycorticosterone to pregnanediol3(a), 20(a) takes place in a healthy man.Their data were not conclusive and in subsequent reports they were unable to confirm their original findings either in men or in women (3, 4).Conclusive evidence for this conversion has been reported in rabbits (5, 6).