The metabolism of deuterated brassinosteroids has been studied in excised leaves of Secale cereale, and in vitro in seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana and cell suspension cultures of Lycopersicon esculentum. In addition to the known biosynthetic conversion of castasterone to brassinolide and epimerization to 3-epicastasterone, inversion of the 3α-configured hydroxyl group of brassinolide to a 3β -configured one in 3-epibrassinolide has been observed using liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrospray ionization (ESI) and selected ion-monitoring mass-spectrometry (SIM-MS). Administration of deuterated 3-epicastasterone and 3-epibrassinolide to Arabidopsis and Secale seedlings resulted in the formation of castasterone and brassinolide, respectively, indicating conversion of configuration at C-3 of brassinosteroids is reversible.