Systemic activities of a new anti-inflammatory steroid: methyl 20-dihydroprednisolonate

In vivo plaque-forming cell suppression by methyl 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate

Methyl 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate, a new local antiinflammatory steroid, and its ester hydrolysis product, 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonic acid, were evaluated for potential immunosuppressive actions as determined by the splenic plaque-forming cell response assay. The parent compound, prednisolone, was used as a comparative agent. All three corticosteroid agents, when administered intraperitoneally or subcutaneously by separate injections given at the same time as antigen, demonstrated significant dose-related suppression of this immunologic parameter. In a croton oil-induced inflammation test (ear challenge in mice), methyl 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate demonstrated significant antiinflammatory effects, but only in the ear to which it was applied. The comparative drug, prednisolone, significantly reduced inflammation in the ear to which it was applied and in the contralateral ear as well. The methyl ester derivative demonstrated effective antiinflammatory activity when applied topically in the oxazolone delayed-type hypersensitivity test (ear challenge in mice). The results seen in the plaque-forming cell response are in contrast to the generally noted lack of systemic glucocorticoid actions of the steroid acid ester derivatives reported in other studies.

Binding of ester and amide epimers of 20 zeta-dihydroprednisolonic acid to cytosol receptors and their acute pharmacological activities in rats

The competitive binding of two new classes of anti-inflammatory steroids, the esters and amides derived from the epimers of 20 zeta-dihydroprednisolonic acid, to cytosol receptors from rat liver and thymus was studied. The relative inhibition of [3H]dexamethasone binding by the steroid derivatives was the same, irrespective of the receptor source, with the following order: dexamethasone greater than prednisolone greater than methyl 17,20 alpha-acetonidodihydroprednisolonate greater than methyl 17,20 beta-acetonidodihydroprednisolonate greater than N-propyl 20 alpha-dihydroprednisolonamide greater than methyl 20 alpha-dihydroprednisolonate greater than methyl 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonate greater than N-propyl 20 beta-dihydroprednisolonamide. The alpha-epimer of the steroids always showed a higher binding affinity than the corresponding beta-epimer. In an acute pharmacological study, prednisolone induced the suppression of plasma corticosterone and an increase in tyrosine aminotransferase activity and glycogen content of rat liver. The esters and amides had no effect on these parameters except in the case of the acetonide derivatives of the steroid acid esters which slightly increased liver glycogen content.

Systemic effects of chronically administered methyl prednisolonate and methyl 17-deoxyprednisolonate

The systemic activities of methyl prednisolonate and methyl 17-deoxyprednisolonate (1) were studied in rats. Methyl 17-deoxyprednisolonate produced significant changes in the amount of sodium ion (decreased) and potassium ion (increased) in urine; however, methyl prednisolonate had no effect on electrolyte balance. Both methyl prednisolonate and methyl 17-deoxyprednisolonate had no effect on liver glycogen content, plasma corticosterone level and relative adrenal weight. In contrast, the parent compound prednisolone caused a significant decrease in liver glycogen content, plasma corticosterone level and relative adrenal weight.