THEIN VIVOMETABOLISM OF HYDROCORTISONE1

Abstract

The isolation of the C-19 and C-21 saturated urinary metabolites following cortisone administration to man have been described (Dobriner et al., 1950, 1951; Burstein et al., 1953). Recently significant quantities of hydrocortisone (17-hydroxycorticosterone) have become available and the present study reports the isolation from urine, utilizing paper chromatography, of the major α-ketolic and 17-ketosteroid metabolites isolated following the oral administration of hydrocortisone to a man. The isolated steroids were identified by chromatographic mobility on paper, melting points and infra-red spectrometry. The significance of the present study lies in the demonstration of: 1) The in vivo conversion of hydrocortisone into cortisone, 2) the products of reduction of the Δ⁴-3-keto system, and 3) the pattern of the 11-oxygenated 17-ketosteroid metabolites arising from hydrocortisone.