Abstract
Summary
Studying the percutaneous absorption of androgenic hormone (testosterone) it was noted that the hormone dissolved in alcoholic solutions is more readily absorbed than that in oily solutions. Most instructive is this difference in the comb test, because here the hormone can be applied at the very site of its effectiveness.
Using the baby chick comb test, we found that brushing the combs with alcoholic solutions of testosterone is about 5 times as effective as brushing the combs with oily solutions, according to Fussgaenger's method. The method proved to be much more sensitive than the subcutaneous and intramuscular administration of the hormone since it is possible to detect quantities as small as 10×0.05 gamma = 0.5 gamma of testosterone at least. We are recommending the standardization of small quantities of androgenic hormone with the use of this method.
If the recovery test is used, on castrated rats, the effectiveness of the percutaneous method using alcoholic solutions of the hormone is less marked. As a matter of fact, alcoholic testosterone solutions are more readily absorbed than oily solutions percutaneously; in this method, however, the subcutaneous administration of the hormone in oily solution is the most effective (4 times as sensitive as the alcoholic percutaneous method).
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