COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF CORTISONE AND CERTAIN ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROIDS ON THE UPTAKE OF RADIOSULFUR IN A HEALING FRACTURED BONE

Abstract

The uptake of S35 in the fractured and intact humerus of male rats was determined and the ratio F/I of radioactivity of fractured (F) to intact (I) bone was calculated. The effect of cortisone, 17-ethyl-19-nortestosterone and testosterone propionate on the F/I ratio was studied. Cortisone resulted in a significant decrease of F/I ratio as compared with normal control. Anabolic androgen 17-ethyl-19-nortestosterone exhibited a significant rise of S35 uptake in fractured bones and consequently high F/I ratios. Combined therapy with cortisone and 17-ethyl-19-nortestosterone offset the effect of cortisone on S35 uptake. Testosterone propionate had no significant effect. It is apparent from this study that cortisone inhibits and 17-ethyl-19-nortestosterone promotes those processes of repair which may be measured by S35 uptake method, and that 17-ethyl-19-nortestosterone may protect connective tissue against the catabolic effect of cortisone.