[Acid and alkaline phosphatases of the rat prostate and the androgenic status of the body].

A study was made of the activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases in the prostate of rats with disorders of the hormonal status induced by gonadectomy followed by injection of testosterone and its metabolite, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in order to define specific functional indices, enabling gonadal androgenic function to be assessed. The activity of both prostatic phosphomonoesterases decreased after gonadectomy and rose after the substituting injection of the androgen. The efficacy of the androgens was to a great degree dependent on the dosage, duration of the drug action, and animals' age. The data obtained indicate that the activity of the phosphomonoesterases depends on androgenic saturation of the body and that both acid and alkaline phosphatases may serve as markers of androgenic activity.