Application and effects of some fat-soluble hormones on the development of chick embryos : I. Effects of testosterone propionate and ethylestrenol.

An attempt has been made to employ fat-soluble anabolic steroids (testosterone propionate and ethylestrenol) in the manner of water soluble compounds. The substances are injected into the egg proper (i.e., the yolk ball) as close to the embryo as possible. The effects are assessed from the points of view of mortality, malformation and increase in dry and fresh weights. The mortality pattern varies with the substance injected. No malformations were detected. Both testosterone propionate and ethylestrenol cause increase in dry weights at particular doses. Sesame oil which is used as carrier of these substances is itself responsible for some mortality. The experiments also suggest that in lower dosages ethylestrenol somehow counteracts the lethal effect of sesame oil.