Method for regeneration of hormones: 17β-estradiol, 21α-hydroxyprogesterone and corticosterone. A pathway for a possible medical application

Abstract

The hormones 17β-estradiol (17βE2), 21α-hydroxyprogesterone (21α-HOPRG) and corticosterone (CORT) were used as representative models for the study. As a source for hormone excitation in singlet state serviced monochromatic UV-light (λ=254 nm), it was stated that the transients resulting by e^–_aq emission in air-free mixture water/ethanol 40/60, as long as they are in “status nascendi”, can be regenerated by electron transfer from a potent electron donor, e.g., vitamin C. The hormone regeneration (%) strongly depends, after all, on specific hormone molecular structure, concentration, temperature, etc. Because of the large heterogenic molecular structures, the substrates dissolved in the solvent mixture form “associates” (unstable complexes) in concentrations >10⁹ mol/L hormone. The hormones eject, but they also consume e^–_aq with a rather high reaction rate constant (k≈10⁹ up to 2×10¹⁰ L/mol.s), therefore, they act as “electron mediators”. It was also observed that the hormones by dissolution in aerated solvent mixture are sensitive towards oxygen. For an explanation of the results, probable reaction mechanisms are presented. The described method offers a new pathway and possibilities for application in medicine.