Additional Sources of Androgens

Abstract

Stallion Urine. It is rather surprising that the occurrence of androgens in stallion urine has not been reported, or if it has that the record has not found its way into the literature of the subject, since stallion urine has been studied in relation to estrogenic content. For this reason we have made assays upon stallion (Percheron) urine and report them here. The occurrence of an androgenic substance in stallion urine was demonstrated in our laboratories by Mr. Norman Nathenson in 1936, but his assays were erratic due to massive doses. The studies were repeated by us during the fall of 1936, smaller doses being used and fairly concordant assays being obtained. The urine was acidified to Congo red with sulfuric acid and allowed to stand 2-3 days. It was then extracted with benzene, evaporated to dryness, residue taken up in ether, washed with 10% NaOH solution, dissolved in olive oil and assayed by the capon comb method. The assays showed a bird unit in (1) 548 cc, (2) 570 cc, (3) 562 cc.; an average of 560 cc. per bird unit. (A bird unit is taken herein to be the amount of each of 5 daily injections required to produce a total of 5 mm. growth in length plus height as measured on the 6th day.)

Dog Urine. Dog urine was collected from a male German police dog; the same animal serving as a source for 2 experiments with an interval of about a year intervening. The urine was extracted in the same manner as that of the stallion. The first sample was assayed on 4 birds, the latter on 2. The amount of urine necessary for a bird unit was as follows: (1) 790 cc, (2) 500 cc, (3) 650 cc, (4) 415 cc, (5) 920 cc, (6) 650 cc Average 652 cc per bird unit.