The involvement of porphyrogenic steroids in the development of experimental porphyria.

Hexachlorobenzene alters the hepatic steroid metabolism, and it was suggested that a porphyria was induced by overproduction of 5 beta-H-steroids. Structurally similar chlorinated hydrocarbons (pentachlorobenzene, pentachlorophenol, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol) without porphyrogenic activity did not affect the steroid metabolism in rat liver.