The Hypertensinogenic Activity of 18-Hydroxy-19-Norcorticosterone in the Adrenalectomized Rat

Abstract

Hypertensinogenic properties of recently synthesized 18-OH-19-nor-B and the related 18-OH-B were examined in adrenalectomized, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Each steroid was given via Alzet miniosmotic pump (2002), with and without aldosterone. Neither 18-OH-19-nor-B (5 μg) nor 18-OH-B (5 μg) increased blood pressure in SHR when given alone, but when administered together with aldosterone (5 μg), which was ineffective by itself, resulted in a significant rise in blood pressure. There is a high probability that certain mineralocorticoids, which are inactive by themselves, are of importance in the etiology of hypertension under physiological conditions. Am J Hypertens 1988;1:49S–52S