Abstract: | Studies on the presence of free estrogens and progestogens in human prostates clearly differentiate the benign hypertrophied prostates from normals. Both contained 17 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone 5 beta-pregnane-3, 20-dione, 5 alpha-pregnane-3, 20-dione and 16 alpha-hydroxyestrone. However, presence of 11 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone 20 beta-hydroxypregnenolone, pregnenolone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, as well as estrone and estriol exclusively in BPH samples pointed to their possible involvement in the development of benign prostatic hypertrophy. |