Chemical Structure and Anti-Fibromatogenic Activity of Steroid Hormones

Abstract

LIPSCHÜTZ and Iglesias¹ showed that subserous fibroids scattered in the abdominal cavity (gastric, splenic, mesenteric, uterine, parametric and fibroids of the abdominal wall) can be induced in female guinea pigs to which œstrogens have been administered for a sufficient length of time. These fibroids infiltrate into surrounding tissues, especially smooth and striated muscle. All œstrogens, natural or artificial, free or esterified, have been found to be fibromatogenic. Localization of these abdominal fibroids follows a certain pattern independent of the œstrogen used² (for summary, see ref. 3). In the course of our work we have also established that certain steroid hormones, when administered simultaneously with the fibromatogenic œstrogen, prevent formation of fibroids. Progesterone, desoxycorticosterone⁴, dehydrocorticosterone⁵ and testosterone⁴ were shown to be antifibromatogenic. Fibroids which have already been induced by œstrogenic action begin to regress when about three months later an antifibromatogenic steroid (progesterone) t is given and allowed to act simultaneously with the œstrogen^6,7.