Metabolism of DHEA, pregnenolone, progesterone and other steroids by plant tissues

[miquelangeles]

Some raw vegetables and fruits in the diet can generate different metabolites from oral DHEA/pregnenolone/progesterone.

Excerpts:

The conjugation of DHEA with glucose (glucosidation) can be readily shown in a simple system in vitro in which the potato tuber serves as the enzyme source.

The potato tuber also contains an active beta-glucuronidase.

The potato occupies a unique position for, among the plant tissues examined to date, only the asparagus approaches it in efficiency.

The tomato and the cucumber have a moderate capacity to conjugate this substrate.

A degree of glucosidation judged slight was effected by the beet, onion, radish, and squash.

The formation of small amounts of metabolites other than conjugates was observed, and in two cases these were clearly the major products:

Androstenediol was recovered in pure form in 20% yield when DHEA was incubated at pH 8 with slices of the green bean.

Androstenedione was obtained in pure form in 16% yield following the incubation of DHEA with slices of the pineapple.

The conversion of androstenediol to testosterone (in 10% yield, as the acetate) and of pregnenolone to progesterone (in 18% yield) was shown in the pineapple slice system.

Progesterone was converted to 5-alpha-pregnanolone palmitate in high yield by tobacco.

Pregnenolone was also converted to pregnenolone palmitate and 5-alpha-pregnanolone palmitate by tobacco.

Cholesterol and progesterone were identified in apple seeds. The analyses per 100 grams of apple seeds revealed an average of 385 mcg of
cholesterol and 50 mcg of progesterone.