[Progesterone administered by percutaneous route: an antiandrogen locally useful (author's transl)].

A skin specimen has been obtained from 5 volunteered men submited to a percutaneous administration of progesterone. Plasma progesterone, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone were evaluated before and after this treatment. Progesterone percutaneously administered does not change plasma testosterone and dihydrotestosterone and only slightly increases plasma progesterone. On the contrary, in the skin samples obtained from subjects percutaneously treated by progesterone, radioactive testosterone was not converted to dihydrotestosterone by skin homogenates. In conclusion, progesterone when percutaneously administered inhibits testosterone 5alpha-reduction and may be considered as an antiandrogen locally useful.