METABOLIC STUDIES WITH A NEW SERIES OF 1,4-DIENE STEROIDS. II. EFFECTS IN NORMAL SUBJECTS OF PREDNISONE, PREDNISOLONE, AND 9α-FLUOROPREDNISOLONE*

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Abstract
The effect of unsaturation by 1,2-dehydrogenation on the activity of 21-carbon steroids, given in moderate and very large doses, was explored with balance studies and steroid analyses in 3 subjects with normal adrenal cortical function. Unsaturation at carbon 1-2 results in an increase of anti-anabolic or catabolic activity which, judged from nitrogen loss, was some 8 times that of the parent steroids. In the large doses, the unsaturated steroids produced sodium loss only after transient sodium retention. Unsaturation enhanced the ability of the parent compounds to suppress urinary 17-keto-steroids, decreasing their susceptibility to oxidative cleavage to 17-ketosteroids.