title: Comparison of plasma androgen glucuronide levels after percutaneous or peroral androgen treatment in men: evidence for important splanchnic contribution to plasma 17 beta-hydroxyandrogen glucuronides.
abstract: To investigate whether glucuronides of 17 beta-hydroxyandrogens are formed mainly in peripheral tissues or in splanchnic tissues, we compared androstanediol (AD) glucuronide (ADG) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) glucuronide (DHTG) levels as well as the ratios of glucuronides over free steroids after transcutaneous DHT gel administration to levels and ratios found after oral administration of testosterone undecanoate. Whereas DHT and AD plasma levels were much higher after transcutaneous DHT gel administration, ADG and DHTG levels as well as glucuronide/free androgen ratios were an order of a magnitude higher after oral TU. This indicates that 17 beta-hydroxyandrogen glucuronides cannot be considered specific metabolites of androgen target tissues and are formed to a large extent in the splanchnic circulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Giagulli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Verdonck
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Deslypere
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giorgino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D015113:Androstane-3,17-diol; C028895:androstane-3,17-diol glucuronide; D013739:Testosterone; C037993:dihydrotestosterone glucuronide; C010792:testosterone undecanoate