COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF PREDNISONE AND OF CORTISONE IN SUPPRESSING THE RESPONSE OF THE ADRENAL CORTEX TO EXOGENOUS ADRENOCORTICOTROPIN*

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Abstract
Administration of adrenocortical steroids in a great variety of disease states is now so widespread that it has become essential for the clinician to have a detailed understanding of the physiologic and chemical changes brought about by these potent agents. One of the more important steroid effects—suppression of endogenous pituitary-adrenal function—has been recognized since Ingle's demonstration that long-term administration of adrenocortical extract results in atrophy of the adrenal cortex in animals (1). Sayers and Sayers (2) and others later showed that several of the adrenocortical steroids can inhibit the release ofcorticotropin in response to stressful stimuli, such as heat, cold and histamine. Adrenal extract does not interfere with the tropic action of administered corticotropin on the adrenal cortices of hypophysectomized animals (1, 3). Therefore, it has been assumed that the adrenocortical hormones cause adrenal atrophy in the intact animal by preventing the release of corticotropin from the adenohypophysis, and not by blocking the action of corticotropin on the adrenal cortex itself.

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