Small doses of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone mimic the effects of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol on acid phosphatase activity in the adult rat prostate gland.

These studies were designed to further investigate whether 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol was exerting unique effects on rat prostate acid phosphatase activity or could possibly be exerting its actions by a small peripheral conversion to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. Intraperitoneal administration of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in doses of 1 mg, 100 microgram or 50 microgram per day starting 7 days after castration led to the restoration of normal characteristics of acid phosphatase activity. However, when 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone was given in a dose of only 25 microgram per day starting 7 days after castration, the changes in acid phosphatase activity were indistinguishable from those found when 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol was administered in a dose of 2 mg per day. This suggests that the effects of 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta, 17 beta-diol can be explained by its conversion to small amounts of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone.