5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol binds to androgen and estrogen receptors without activating copulatory behavior in female rats.

The ability of the androgen metabolite 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol (3 beta-A-diol) to facilitate copulatory behavior was assessed directly in adult ovariectomized rats. Neither the highest dosage of 5 mg/day for three days, nor 2 mg/day for 15 days could induce lordosis behavior in females that displayed typically high lordosis quotients with low dosages of estradiol (E). Furthermore, prolonged administration of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) induced a low but significant level of male-typical mounting behavior in females, whereas 3 beta-a-diol administered for 20 days (2 mg/day) had no effect on mounting behavior. However, this reduced androgen metabolite did compete moderately well for DHT and E binding sites on androgen and estrogen receptors respectively in hypothalamic cytosol preparations. We conclude that in spite of its ability to bind to these receptors in the brain 3 beta-A-diol, a major metabolite of DHT, is totally inert with respect to sexual behavior.