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7351642 
Journal Article 
Pharmacokinetics of testosterone after percutaneous gel or buccal administration 
Slater, CC; Souter, I; Zhang, CY; Guan, CX; Stanczyk, FZ; Mishell, DR 
2001 
Yes 
Fertility and Sterility
ISSN: 0015-0282
EISSN: 1556-5653 
76 
1 
32-37 
WOS:000169848700005 
Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics of testosterone following its administration using transdermal gel or buccal lozenges. Design: Pilot study. Setting: University-based hospital. Patient(s): Ten bilaterally oophorectomized women. Intervention(s): Daily micronized testosterone gel (1 mg) and testosterone propionate lozenge (1 mg). Main Outcome Measure(s): Total testosterone, androstenedione, dihydrotestosterone, 3 alpha -androstanediol glucuronide, and sex hormone-binding globulin were measured in serum by specific radioimmunoassays; free testosterone levels were also calculated. Result(s): Before treatment, serum testosterone levels in the groups using the lozenge and gel were 16 +/- 4.0 and 20 +/- 6.0 ng/dL, respectively. Mean maximum testosterone levels obtained with the lozenge occurred 1 hour after administration on days 1 (692 +/- 236 ng/dL) and 14 (836 +/- 309 ng/dL) of treatment and fell precipitously thereafter. in contrast, testosterone levels obtained with the gel showed a prolonged rise reaching maximal levels of 97 +/- 78 and 100 +/- 60 ng/dL after 18 hours. The serum level patterns of free testosterone, dihydrotesrosterone, and 3 alpha -androstanediol glucuronide were similar to the corresponding total testosterone levels. Conclusion(s): Administration of testosterone lozenge by buccal absorption produced a rapid and brief elevation of testosterone levels, with levels reaching upper limits of the male range. In contrast, transdermal testosterone gel absorption resulted in a prolonged elevation of testosterone levels, which were in the hyperandrogenic female range but resembled steady state pharmacokinetics. (C) 2001 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine. 
postmenopausal testosterone replacement; transdermal testosterone gel; testosterone lozenge