We are reporting investigations into the potential of the steroid hormones chlormadinone acetate (CMA), cyproterone acetate (CPA), ethinylestradiol (EE2) gestodene (GEST), megestrol acetate (MGA), norethisterone acetate (NET-Ac), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P) to form DNA-adducts in rat liver in vivo. 2. Compound-related DNA-adduct spots were detected in male and female rat liver following CMA, CPA, and MGA using the 32P-postlabeling-technique. Substance-specific DNA-adducts were also observed in male rats after administration of E2. The other compounds showed no DNA-adduct formation. After treatment with CMA, CPA or MGA, the relative adduct labeling (RAL) differed sex- and substance-specifically.