Steroids and related compounds are important in disease development and prevention, via steroid receptor-mediated and receptor-independent mechanisms. Interaction of endogenous oestrogens with the oestrogen receptor has unfortunate mitogenic effects in breast cancer. However, dietary consumption of non-steroidal weak oestrogens, such as the soy isoflavone phytoestrogens genistein and diadzein, ...

1. The effect of oestrogens and progestogens and their 17alpha-ethinyl derivatives on bile flow, maximum rate of bilirubin secretion, serum and liver bilirubin has been studied.2. Both 17alpha-ethinyl substituted oestrogens and progestogens greatly reduced the basal bile flow. The parent compounds, oestradiol-17beta and 19-nortestosterone had little or no effect.3. A much larger dose of progest...