title: Plasma renin substrate sensitivity to oestrogens and oestrogen metabolism in cirrhosis.
abstract: Oestrogen stimulation of plasma renin substrate (PRS) was studied in men with alcoholic cirrhosis. PRS values, before and 1, 2, 4 and 6 days after a single oral administration of 100 microgram of an oestrogen derivative, 11beta-methoxy-17-ethynyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,17beta-diol (Moxestrol), were measured by radioimmunoassay of generated angiotensin I in five men with normal liver function and five men with alcoholic cirrhosis. Basal PRS was 0.93 +/- 0.22 nmol/ml (mean +/- 1 SD) in the normal men and significantly lower (P less than 0.01) in the men with cirrhosis (0.33 +/- 0.14 nmol/ml). Two days after administration of Moxestrol, PRS rose significantly but transiently (P less than 0.05) to 1.41 +/- 0.42 nmol/ml in the normal men and to 0.47 +/- 0.15 in the cirrhotic men, the relative increase (approximately 50%) being similar in both groups. A study of the plasma kinetics and urinary excretion of Moxestrol was also performed to evaluate its metabolic clearance rate and absorption. Since the intestinal absorption of [14C] Moxestrol was not depressed in cirrhotic men, the low PRS values recorded are probably the consequence of hepatocyte dysfunction.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000808:Angiotensinogen / Q000097:blood*; D000809:Angiotensins / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000809:Angiotensins; D004967:Estrogens; D000808:Angiotensinogen; D004958:Estradiol