An improved method for evaluating antiandrogens.

In recent years, the hamster flank organ test has been frequently used to screen compounds for antiandrogenic activity. When used routinely, the diameter of the pigmented spot is used to evaluate the androgenic or antiandrogenic effect of the drug tested. In this article, it is shown that the pigmented spot and the sebaceous glands may respond to a quite different degree to hormonal stimuli, indicating that visual observation alone is insufficient for screening purposes. Determination of sebaceous gland sizes by histochemical techniques allows a better evaluation of androgenic or anti-androgenic effects.