Steroid metabolism in the rabbit. Biliary and urinary excretion of metabolites of [4-C]progesterone.

1. [4-(14)C]Progesterone was administered intravenously to anaesthetized male and female New Zealand White rabbits as a single injection or as a 45-60min. infusion. 2. After a single dose about 60% of the radioactivity was recovered in 6hr., and twice as much radioactivity was present in bile as in urine. After infusion total recovery of radioactivity was only about 40% in 6hr., but the relative proportions of metabolites in bile and urine were about the same as after a single dose. 3. Bile and urine samples were hydrolysed successively by beta-glucuronidase, cold acid and hot acid. 4. In bile the major proportion of metabolites appeared in the glucuronide fraction; in urine beta-glucuronidase hydrolysis yielded the greatest amounts of ether-extractable radioactivity, but the greatest proportion of radioactivity could not be extracted by ether from an alkaline solution of the hydrolysed urine. 5. There was no apparent difference in the quantity or distribution of metabolites excreted by male and female animals.