Effect of castor oil and benzyl benzoate used as a vehicle for antiandrogens on the adrenal cortex.

The use of benzyl benzoate as a vehicle constituent in administering cyproterone acetate caused morphological changes detectable at the ultrastructural level in the adrenal cortex. Xastor oil and benzyl benzoate in a 4:1 ratio caused intracellular as well as intercellular changes. In the zona fasciculata there were alterations in mitochondrial shape, size, and matrix. Intercellular changes affected the morphology of macrophages in the zona fasciculata and zona reticularis. It is believed that the castor oil and benzyl benzoate vehicle caused stress-induced changes.