Nocturnal diuresis in panhypopituitarism

Although impaired water diuresis in adrenocortical insufficiency is well-known, little attention has been paid to the diuretic pattern at night. In two cases of panhypopituitarism, the nocturnal diuretic pattern was found to be quite different from that in the morning, and marked diuresis did occur after water loading at night, without any significant change of serum cortisol which remained at a low level throughout the day. At the antidiuretic stage in the morning, urine osmolality continued to rise gradually, in spite of the water loading, to the level of 666 mOsm/liter. At the water restriction test, the urine was concentrated only to the same level of 600-700mOsm/liter. At the ascending stage of urine osmolality, exogenously injected pitressin showed little antidiuretic effect, although the kidney was able concentrate urine to the higher level later. In the morning, 3 liters of 5% glucose infusion failed to produce a marked diuresis in spite of extreme plasma dilution and expansion. Furosemide immediately induced diuresis even in the morning and the kidney recovered its ability to respond to pitressin. Glucocorticoid also improved the diuretic pattern in the morning, but a latent period of about 2 hr was always observed before the appearance of the effect. What happened during this latent period was unclear, but it was interesting to note that a mechanism similar to that which induces diuretic response seemed to occur without glucocorticoid at night.

Dissolution rates of corticosteroids utilizing sugar glass dispersions

A method of increasing the dissolution rates of some orally administered corticosteroids was investigated. This method involved glass dispersions using dextrose, galactose, and sucrose as the carriers. These dispersions were prepared by the fusion process and were subjected to a modified NF XIII dissolution rate determination. The results revealed a marked increase in the dissolution rate of the corticosteroids contained in the solid dispersions when compared to the dissolution rate of the plan corticosteroid powder. The increase in dissolution rates was attributed to the presence of the corticosteroid in a very fine state of subdivision and to the increased wettability of the corticosteroid powder.

Pharmaceutical suspensions: micro electrophoretic properties

The microelectrophoretic properties of the drugs griseofulvin, betamethasone, nalidixic acid and thiabendazole in aqueous dispersion have been examined and the zeta potentials calculated from the measured mobilities. Variation in magnitude of particle charge with pH of dispersion is reported and related to the chemical structure and the surface characteristics. The effect of adding anionic (sodium dodecyl sulphate) cationic (dodecyl trimethyl bromide) and non-ionic (polyoxyethylene glycol monoethers of hexadecanol) surface-active agents, and mixtures of these ionic and non-ionic species, on the electrophoretic properties of the drug dispersions has been measured. The results reported agree with those found previously for a model polystyrene latex suspension system under the same conditions.

Significance of 17alpha OH progesterone assay in the evaluation of ovarian and adrenal function

Plasma 17alpha OH progesterone was assayed radioimmunologically, using an anti-17-OH-progesterone BSA antiserum as specific binding antigen. The method consisted in extracting steroids with ethyl ether from 1 ml plasm (to which 17alpha OH progesterone-1,2-3H had been added for the assessment of losses); the extract was then submitted to chromatography on a Sephadex LH-20 column, antiserum was added and the free steroid was separated from the bound form by Charcoal-dextran. Average recovery of 17alpha OH progesterone-1,2-3H was 75+/-5%. Minimum sensitivity of the method oscillated about 7-10 pg. MIF (Method Interfering Factors) were evaluated. The method was used for the assay of 17alpha OH progesterone plasma levels during normal menstrual cycles, in women undergoing ovarian stimulation with HMG and HCG in the follicular and luteal phase respectively. Finally, changes of plasma 17alpha OH progesterone levels were assessed during adrenal stimulation and suppression in various stages of the menstrual cycle.

Mass spectrometry of fluorinated corticosteroidal 1,4-dien-3-ones of the British Pharmacopoeia

The mass spectrum of each of the B.P. 1968 fluorinated corticosteroidal 1,4-dien-3-ones is shown to be sufficiently characteristic to be of value as a means of identification. Mechanisms for the principal fragmentations are discussed.

Corticosteroid-collagen interaction in vitro: fibril formation from collagen solutions

The disodium phosphate ester salts of betamethasone, prednisolone and hydrocortisone dissolved in a fibril initiating buffer accelerated the precipitation of fibrils from saline solutions of acid-soluble collagen at pH 7.0, when compared with the rate for the initiating buffer alone at the same pH. Without the initiating buffer these corticosteroids also precipitated collagen fibrils, but at a slower rate than when the initiating buffer was present. A relation has been found between the substitution of active groups on the basic steroid nucleus and the rate of collagen fibril formation from solution. Electron microscope examination of the fibrils precipitated by these corticosteroids showed that they corresponded to normal collagen fibrils in appearance and in having the characteristic repeat period of 60–70 nm.