Pharmatest offers the Hershberger bioassay designed for testing potentially androgenic or anti-androgenic compounds (either drug candidates or endocrine disruptors) in vivo according to the OECD guidelines. The assay is designed to identify suspected androgens and antiandrogens based on changes in the weights of five androgen-responsive tissues. The weighted target tissues are the natural targets for androgens, and the tissue growth response is relatively rapid.

Five androgen dependent tissues (ventral prostate, seminal vesicles including anterior prostate, paired Cowper’s glands, glans penis and levator ani and bulbospongiosus muscles) of castrated peripubertal male rats are evaluated following administration of the test compound. Potent reference androgen and antiandrogen compounds are administered to control animals.