ADRENOCORTICAL ACTIVITIES OF 20-COBALTO--1-HYDROCORTISONE AND COBALTOUS CHLORIDE

¹ Department of Pharmacology, University of Tennessee Medical Units, Memphis, Tennessee

20-Cobalto-delta-1-hydrocortisone was studied in rats to assess its adrenocortical activities using the following assays: electrolyte excretion, thymus involution and anti-inflammatory activity (granuloma pouch and asbestos pellet tests).

Subcutaneously administered 20-cobalto-delta-1-hydrocortisone was significantly (P < 0.01) more potent than prednisolone, hydrocortisone, cobalt chloride or a combination of cobalt chloride and prednisolone injected simultaneously at different injection sites.

Cobaltous chloride hexahydrate injections into intact rats resulted in a significant inhibition of granuloma pouch inflammation but when injected into adrenalectomized rats with asbestos pellets did not significantly inhibit granuloma formation.

20-Cobalto-delta-1-hydrocortisone was found to be a potent diuretic and natriuretic steroid and was significantly more potent than hydrocortisone or prednisolone on the thymus involution assay.

It was also found that 20-cobalto-delta-1-hydrocortisone injections into rats did not result in a significant change in iron incorporation in red blood cells.