Effect of a single oral dose of oxymetholone on the metabolism of human erythrocytes.

Exp Hematol. 1978 Sep;6(8):648-54.

Effect of a single oral dose of oxymetholone on the metabolism of human
erythrocytes.

Molinari PF, Neri LL.

Androgenic steroids have been shown to enhance erythrocyte 2,3-DPG production in
vivo and in vitro, and to stimulate the pentose shunt oxidative reactions in
vitro. Furthermore, a 3 beta- and a 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase have
been identified in red cells. The present study was carried out to explore a
cumulative effect of androgens on glycolysis and androgen reduction in human
erythrocytes in vivo following a single 50 mg oral dose of 17 beta-hydroxy-2
(hydroxymethylene)-17 methyl-5 alpha-androstan-3-one (oxymetholone). The rate of
erythrocyte glycolysis was measured by quantitative determination of:
fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP); dehydroxyacetone phosphate (DAP);
2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG); adenosine triphosphate (ATP); and lactate.
Serum and erythrocyte steroids were separated by thin layer chromatography. The
reduction of 5 alpha-androstan-17 beta-ol-3-one by red cell hemolysate was
measured in the presence of NADPH as an index of 3(17)beta-hydroxysteroid
dehydrogenase activity. Our results show that oxymetholone administration is
followed by the appearance of an unidentified steroid fraction in chromatograms
of serum and erythrocytes, simultaneously with the enhancement of glycolysis and
of hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in erythrocytes. A direct effect of
androgen on erythrocyte metabolism, which is independent of the hormone
erythropoietic effect, is discussed.