[Epitestosterone as an endogenous antiandrogen in men]

The authors assessed in the plasma of 156 boys and men aged 6 - 65 years and in prostatic tissues of 15 men aged 55 - 82 years epitestosterone, C19-steroid with anti-androgenic properties. It was revealed that during the prepubertal period the epitestosterone level is higher than that of testosterone, in adult age the epitestosterone is about ten times lower than the testosterone concentration. In tissue of hyperplastic prostates the epitestosterone level is comparable with the androstendione level; it is about twice as high as the testosterone level and approximately half as high as the dihydrotestosterone level. Thus at least during the prepubertal period in boys and in the androgen-dependent prostate tissue a more significant participation of epitestosterone in the regulation of androgen-dependent processes must be taken into consideration.