METABOLIC STUDIES WITH A NEW SERIES OF 1,4-DIENE STEROIDS. I. EFFECTS IN ADDISONIAN SUBJECTS OF PREDNISONE, PREDNISOLONE, AND THE 1,2-DEHYDRO ANALOGUES OF CORTICOSTERONE, DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE, 17-HYDROXY-11-DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE, AND 9α-FLUOROCORTISOL*

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effect of unsaturation by 1,2-dehydrogenation on the activity of 21-carbon steroids was explored with balance and renal studies in 3 patients with Addison''s disease. Unsaturation at carbon 1-2 resulted in an increase in anti-anabolic or catabolic properties in those steroids with oxygen at carbons 11 and 17 (for example, cortisone and cortisol) and in the appearance of such properties in a steroid with oxygen at carbon 11 but not at carbon 17 (corticosterone). Unsaturation at carbon 1-2 resulted in a loss of sodium-retaining properties in those steroids in which it enhanced anti-anabolic or catabolic properties, when given in doses large enough to increase the glomerular filtration rate; this loss of sodium-retaining properties is ascribed to the "glomerulotubular" imbalance so induced.