title: Small doses of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone mimic the effects of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol on acid phosphatase activity in the adult rat prostate gland.
abstract: These studies were designed to further investigate whether 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol was exerting unique effects on rat prostate acid phosphatase activity or could possibly be exerting its actions by a small peripheral conversion to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. Intraperitoneal administration of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in doses of 1 mg, 100 microgram or 50 microgram per day starting 7 days after castration led to the restoration of normal characteristics of acid phosphatase activity. However, when 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone was given in a dose of only 25 microgram per day starting 7 days after castration, the changes in acid phosphatase activity were indistinguishable from those found when 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol was administered in a dose of 2 mg per day. This suggests that the effects of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol can be explained by its conversion to small amounts of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone.
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000732:Androstanols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002369:Castration; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000732:Androstanols; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; D000135:Acid Phosphatase