The effect of a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor on androgen-mediated growth of the dog prostate.

The administration of testosterone cypionate (0.4 mg/kg BW . day) to castrated male dogs caused a doubling of prostate weight within 4 weeks and an increase in the content of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone in the prostate. When the 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor 17-N,N-diethylcarbamoyl-4-methyl-4-aza-5 alpha-androstan-3-one (3 mg/kg BW . day) was administered simultaneously with testosterone cypionate, prostatic testosterone content increased from 0.5 +/- 0.2 to 4.1 +/- 1.3 ng/mg DNA, the increase in prostatic dihydrotestosterone content was prevented, and prostatic size decreased to half the starting weight. These results suggest that dihydrotestosterone formation plays a role in prostatic growth.