Intraocular hypotensive effect of a topically applied cortisol metabolite: 3 alpha, 5 beta-tetrahydrocortisol.

3 alpha, 5 beta-tetrahydrocortisol, previously considered an inactive metabolite of cortisol, was found to lower significantly the intraocular pressure (IOP) of rabbits made ocular hypertensive with dexamethasone alone or with threshold levels of dexamethasone plus 5 beta-dihydrocortisol. The ocular hypotensive effect appeared within 3-7 days after the metabolite was started and persisted through the duration of the experiments. The metabolite did not lower the IOP of ocular normotensive untreated animals.

Potentiation of collagen synthesis in explants of the rabbit eye by 5 beta-dihydrocortisol.

The biologic effect of 5 beta-dihydrocortisol on collagen synthesis was evaluated. The metabolite was found to potentiate subthreshold levels of dexamethasone in increasing 3H-proline incorporation in cells of the outflow region of the rabbit. Digestion of the tissue with highly purified collagenase indicated that the 3H-proline was incorporated into collagen type protein.

Direct radioimmunoassay (RIA) of salivary testosterone: correlation with free and total serum testosterone.

Simple and sensitive direct RIA for determination of salivary testosterone was developed by using RSL NOSOLVEX TM (125 1) kit produced by Radioassay System Laboratories (Carson, California). In addition, a relationship between salivary and serum free and total testosterone concentrations was studied in randomly selected 45 healthy subjects, 5 females on oral contraceptive pills and 28 hypertensive patients on various treatment regimens. The lowest weight of testosterone detectable by our modified method was equivalent to 1 pg/ml of saliva, taking into account analytical variability.

5 beta-Dihydrocortisol: possible mediator of the ocular hypertension in glaucoma.

5 beta-dihydrocortisol potentiates the action of topically applied dexamethasone in raising the intraocular pressure (IOP) in young rabbits. Dexamethasone (0.06%) plus 5 beta-dihydrocortisol (0.