The effects of water-soluble preparations of androsterone and androsterone-diol on castrated rats.

RUzICKA et al. [1935] prepared a monosuccinic ester of androsterone, of which Prof. Ruzicka sent to us two water-soluble preparations for investigation: (1) the sodium salt and (2) the lithium salt. In the following they will be designated as "w.-s. androsterone". We also received from Prof. Ruzicka a lithium salt of the monosuccinic ester of androsterone-diol, which will be designated as "w.-s. diol." Tschopp [Ruzicka et al., 1935, p. 213], using his method of injecting capons once a day for 6 days, found that 1 c.u. was contained in 80-100y of w.-s. androsterone and (according to a personal communication) in about 200y of w.-s. diol. As in our preliminary experiments the activity of w.-s. diol on castrated rats was found to be much greater than that of w.-s. androsterone, most of the experiments were performed with the diol salt; some of the experiments were carried out with the lithium salt of w.-s. androsterone. The results of these experiments are given in the present paper.