Studies on Pyrogenic Steroids. I. Separation, Identification, and Measurement of Unconjugated Dehydroepiandrosterone, Etiocholanolone, and Androsterone in Human Plasma*

Previous studies have shown that endotoxin (1-4), viruses (5-7), and pyrogenic substances from polymorphonuclear leukocytes (8-11) are capable of producing fever. A different group of pyrogenic substances was described by Kappas, Soybel, Fukushima and Gallagher (12), who re- ported that certain C19 and C21 steroids with a 3a-hydroxy, 5/3 configuration produce fever. The prototype compound is etiocholanolone 1 (13-16). Four to 8 hours after intramuscular or intravenous administration of this compound to volun- teers, the temperature began to rise, reached a peak (1030 to 1050 F) at 12 hours, and gener- ally subsided within 24 hours. Chills, anorexia, headache, malaise, myalgia, arthralgia, and leuko- cytosis accompanied the reaction.