Effects of various replacement oestrogens on hepatic transcortin synthesis in climacteric women

The influence of peri-menopausal oestrogen replacement therapy upon protein synthesis in the liver was investigated. Changes in the cortisol-binding capacity of transcortin (TC-BC) were utilized as an indicator of hepatic oestrogen sensitivity. Forty-two climacteric women were studied before and after treatment with various drugs at different doses (patients receiving identical compounds served as their own controls for the evaluation of dosage effects; duration of medication: 14 days at each dose). Oral administration of oestriol (1 and 2 mg daily; n = 6), oestriol (1 and 2 mg daily) + oestradiol-17 beta (2 and 4 mg daily; n = 8), oestradiol valerate (1, 2, 4 and 6 mg daily; n = 6), conjugated equine oestrogens (0.3 and 0.6 mg daily; n = 6), sodium oestrone sulphate (0.8 and 1.6 mg daily) + sodium equilin sulphate (0.2 and 0.4 mg daily; n = 6) and quinoestrol (25 micrograms daily; n = 6) failed to alter TC-BC. However, ingestion of higher doses of conjugated equine oestrogens (0.9 and 1.25 mg daily; n = 5) and quinoestrol (50 micrograms daily; n = 6) caused a significant rise (P less than 0.01). Ethinyloestradiol was given orally as a reference substance and elicited an elevation of expected magnitude. Vaginal administration of dienoestrol cream (1 mg daily; n = 4) did not change TC-BC. These data indicate that the hepatotrophic effects of replacement oestrogens vary depending on the preparation and dosage selected for treatment.