Aldosterone

Abstract

WIDESPREAD interest in aldosterone stems from its obvious import on sodium retention, both normal and pathologic. Much new information has been obtained, but many questions remain concerning its role in these processes. The primary attempt of this review will be to present some of the newer concepts and discoveries concerning aldosterone. Detailed reviews of earlier work may be found elsewhere.^{1 2 3} ChemistryIsolation and crystallization of aldosterone was first accomplished by Simpson et al.⁴ in 1953. The same group then elaborated the chemical structure, which proved to be the 18-aldehyde of corticosterone. In solution this exists largely as the 11-hemiacetal.^{4 , 5} Major . . .