title: Observations on the biological activity of epitestosterone.
abstract: Epitestosterone, a 17 alpha-epimer of testosterone is a normal constituent of body fluids in many species including man. It has long been believed that it is devoid of any biological significance. However, it is now demonstrated that in in vivo experiments on castrated male mice it counteracts the action of testosterone on androgen-dependent organs. In vitro experiments show that on the overall antiandrogenicity of epitestosterone participate true antiandrogenic action due to the binding to androgen receptors, strong 5 alpha-reductase inhibiting activity as well as a weak antigonadotropic activity. Epitestosterone is devoid of any embryotoxicity as checked by chick embryo-toxicity screening test.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Endocrinology, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stárka
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hampl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Biciková
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jelínek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doskocil
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004845:Epitestosterone / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D000728:Androgens; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D004845:Epitestosterone