Studies on the Metabolism of C₁₉ Steroids in Rat Liver Biosynthesis of Saturated 17‐Oxo‐C₁₉O₃ Steroids in Rat Liver Microsomes

After incubation of 4‐androstene‐3,17‐dione, 5α‐androstane‐3,17‐dione, 3α‐hydroxy‐5α‐androstan‐17‐one and 3β‐hydroxy‐5α‐androstan‐17‐one with rat liver microsomes the following steroids were isolated and identified by thin‐layer chromatography and by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry: 3α‐ and 3β, 16α‐dihydroxy‐5α‐androstan‐17‐one, 3α‐ and 3β, 7α‐dihydroxy‐5α‐androstan‐17‐one, 3β, 7β‐dihydroxy‐5α‐androstan‐17‐one and 3β, 17β‐dihydroxy‐5α‐androstan‐16‐one. The importance of the 17‐oxo and 17β‐hydroxy pathways in the metabolism of C₁₉ steroids in rat liver is discussed.