INDIVIDUAL DETERMINATION OF CORTISOL AND CORTICOSTERONE IN A SINGLE SMALL SAMPLE OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD

Abstract

A method is described for the individual determination of corticosterone (11β,21-dihydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione) and cortisol (11β,17,21 -trihydroxy-pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione) in 2.5 ml of peripheral plasma. The method is based on the different partition coefficients of these steroids between water and carbon tetrachloride, allowing of separation by simple extractions. The steroids are determined by reading the fluorescence in a mixture of sulfuric acid and alcohol.