Growth and lipemic activity of 19-oxo-androstenedione: A potential growth stimulant for poultry

• Published in: Poultry science 1980-02, Vol.59 (2), p.390-395
• Main Authors: Johnston, J O, Kariya, T, Leavitt, W W, Petrow, V
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Androstenedione - pharmacology; Animals; Chickens - growth & development; Chickens - metabolism; Estrogens - pharmacology; Female; Hyperlipidemias - metabolism; Hyperlipidemias - veterinary; Lipid Metabolism; Poultry Diseases - metabolism
• ISSN: 0032-5791; 1525-3171
• DOI: 10.3382/ps.0590390

A metabolite of androstenedione, 19-oxo-androstene-3,17-dione (19-oxo-A), was evaluated for its effects upon growth, oviductal weight, and plasma lipids of young chicks; estradiol benzoate (EB) was used as reference standard. Ten-day-old Leghorn pullets were treated subcutaneously with either olive oil vehicle, EB at .05 to 1.35 mg/kg/day, or 19-oxo-A at 1 to 30 mg/kg/day at 1/2-log dose concentrations for six days. At the highest dose levels of each compound, the relative potency for these biological responses was compared with EB equated to 100. The 19-oxo-A was 100% of EB for body weight gain, 1.4% for oviductal growth, and 10.1%, 2.6%, and 6.2% in elevation of plasma lipids for cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids, respectively. In an antiogonadotropin assay using the hemicastrate rat, only 19-oxo-A suppressed ovarian weight without significant increase in uterine weight. Additionally, this compound did not bind with androgen, estrogen and progesterone cytosol receptor preparation. 19-oxo-A resembles estrogen in inducing growth of poultry, but differs markedly from estradiol benzoate in being essentially devoid of systemic estrogenicity. Thus, 19-oxo-A represents a new and unique steroid for stimulating growth and fat deposition in commercial meat poultry.