Used in research settings to study steroid metabolism and adrenal hormone pathways. It is a key metabolite of corticosterone, formed via enzymatic reduction involving 5α-reductase and 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, aiding in the inactivation of glucocorticoids. Helps in understanding these enzymatic reactions and their role in hormone regulation. Applied in endocrinology studies to explore stress response mechanisms and metabolic regulation. Also utilized in analytical laboratories as a reference standard for hormone testing and metabolic profiling via techniques like LC-MS and GC-MS.