Indirect analysis of corticosteroids. 5. The determination of 17-deoxycorticosteroids

Abstract

The Angeli-Rimini reaction was adapted to the determination of small quantities [greater than or equal to]([greater than or equal to]10 [mu]m-moles) of aldehydes. A method was developed for the group determination of 17-deoxycorticosteroids by their conversion into 21-norpregnan-20-als and the measurement of the latter by means of the modified Angeli-Rimini reaction. The method was successfully applied to the determination of 17-deoxycorticosteroids in extracts of acid-treated urines. The above method was modified to permit the separate determination of 21-hydroxypregnan-20-ones and of pregnane-20:21-diols. Applied to urines of normal subjects, the differential assay revealed the presence of substantial quantities of as yet unidentified compounds of the 20:21-diol group.