Breast milk jaundice: effect of 3-alpha 20-beta-pregnanediol on bilirubin conjugation by human liver.

The effect of 3α,20β-pregnanediol and other steroids on bilirubin conjugation was examined using liver tissue from human and four other species. Neither 3α,20β-pregnanediol nor 3α,20β-pregnanediol inhibited conjugation by human liver slices or by solubilized human liver microsomes. 3α,20β-pregnanediol is unlikely to be the inhibitor causing breast milk jaundice. Oestriol inhibited conjugation by human liver slices. A comparison of species indicated that the response of the human liver slice system to steroids resembles that of the rabbit and guinea-pig rather than the rat or mouse.