A New Method for Measuring Cortisol Metabolites

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Abstract
A new technique is reported for the determination of cortisol metabolites. This technique measures a higher percentage of the metabolites of cortisol than the acid phenyl hydrazine (Porter-Silber) procedure and determines them with greater specificity than the 17-ketogenic (Norymberski) method. The cortisol metabolites—tetrahydrocortisone, tetrahydrocortisol, the 20-epimeric cortolones, the 20-epimeric cortols, and their 5α-isomers are extracted after hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase and converted to the corresponding cortols, which are subsequently oxidized to a mixture of 11β-hydroxyetiocholanolone and small amounts of 11β-hydroxyandrosterone. This final product is then measured by the Zimmermann reaction. The application of this method to the determination of urinary cortisol metabolites of normal subjects and of adrenalectomized patients is described. Metabolites of other steroids that might contribute to the values obtained by this technique have also been investigated.