Effects of trenbolone acetate on adrenal function and hepatic enzyme activities in female rats.

The effects of the anabolic steroid trenbolone acetate (TBA) on adrenal function and hepatic enzyme activity have been studied in growing female rats. Treatment with TBA resulted in a decrease in the peak of plasma corticosterone concentration which occurred during the afternoon. The enzymes tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase were measured in the livers of treated and control rats. Activities of both enzymes were maximal at 22.00 h, but that of TAT was reduced in TBA-treated rats. After injection of ACTH, TBA-treated rats showed a smaller increase in plasma corticosterone than did controls. Treatment with TBA did not affect the induction of TAT activity after corticosterone treatment. All TBA-treated rats grew significantly faster than controls and the possible relevance of this reduced adrenal function to the increased growth rate is discussed.