PLOS ONE, ISSN: 1932-6203, Volume: 9, Issue: 10, Article Number: e109219. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109219. Published: OCT 10 2014

Abstract: The impact of exogenic testosterone (T): 1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg.bw) and 19-nortestosterone 17-decanoate (ND): 1.5 and 7.5 mg/kg.bw) in castrated male rats was evaluated based on: (a) weight increase of the androgen target tissues, respecting the Hershberger methodology; (b) the 17 alpha and beta-testosterone, 17 alpha and beta-estradiol and 17 alpha and beta-nortestosterone levels using the GC-MS/MS technique; and (c) observation of the serum free thyroxine levels (T-4). Results revealed that T and ND significantly increased the weight of androgen target tissues as follows: ND was more influential on seminal vesicles, levator ani-bulbocavernosus muscle (LABC) and Cowper’s glands and T (at a dose of 3.0 mg/kg.bw) influenced the weight of the ventral prostate and glans penis. Serum samples analyzed for steroid hormone levels showed the presence of 17 beta-testosterone, 17 beta-estradiol and 17 beta-nor-testosterone, in castrated male rats injected with testosterone and nortestosterone, but no significant differences were found between thyroid responses and thyroid hormone levels. The results of this research proved the disrupting activity of T and ND when administered in high doses and the useful application of the Hershberger bioassay in the case of ND.