-Pregnancy test Urine (EVA test) -The Measurement of Urinary 17- Oxosteroids. 376 BCH Miss Tahani Al-Shehri

Pregnancy test  HCG- Human chorionic gonadotropin, Mw 36,700, chemically a glycoprotein, 30% CHO and amino acid  Normally person not pregnant has a secretion of this hormones but not detected  Function of HCG  Stimulate the biosynthesis of ovarian tissue  Convert androgen (men) to estrogen (women ) on placenta  Maintain pregnancy

Pregnancy test  It can give +ve result in these case :-  Hyperactivity of pituitary gland  Functional abnormalities of placenta.  Intrauterine fetal death.

The Measurement of Urinary 17- Oxosteroids.  OBJECTIVES  To measure the excretion of 17-oxosteroids in a 24- hour collection of urine.

INTRODUCTION AND PRINCIPLE  Most of the products and metabolites of the androgen pathways in the adrenal and the testis, are in the form of 17-oxosteroids.  The quantity of 17-oxosteroids (17-OS) excreted varies with  Age  Sex  weight.  In females, most of the 17-OS are derived from the  adrenal gland  In the male a considerable percentage (10-20%) is derived from the  testis as metabolites of testosterone (not itself a 17-OS).  The adrenal cortex and testis are both under the hormonal control of the anterior pituitary.  Thus, changes in the 17-OS excretion in urine are found in disease involving the anterior pituitary, adrenal cortex and testis.

INTRODUCTION AND PRINCIPLE  Decreased excretion of 17-OS is found when there is  hypo-activity of the adrenal cortex, pituitary, or testis.  Increased excretion of 17-OS in both sexes is normally associated with  increased activity of the adrenal cortex  High levels of 17-OS may be found in some tumors of the testis or ovaries.  Steroids are normally excreted as water-soluble conjugates, glucuronides, and sulphates, since the steroids themselves have very low solubilities in water.

INTRODUCTION AND PRINCIPLE  These conjugates must be hydrolyzed to liberate the free steroid, before extraction from the urine into an organic solvent, usually chloroform or ethylene dichloride.  The extract is then washed to remove impurities, which interfere with the colorimetric assay and the oxo-steroids are estimated using Zimmerman's reagent.  Zimmerman's reagent is an alkaline solution of n- dinitro-benzene, which slowly forms colored complexes with steroids containing CO.CH 2 groups.