Deoxycorticosterone glucocorticoid activity

In particular, it should be noted that since 11-deoxycorticosterone does not exhibit glucocorticoid activity yet, it is a powerful mineralocorticoid and has only two potentially reactive substituents capable of reacting with a receptor, and the interaction should occur by way of a Cj-keto and/or a Ci7j3-C0-CH20H groups. The necessity of either a simultaneous presence of acidic functions at Cu and or the necessity of simultaneous absence of acidic functions at and C17 in the structure of the pregnane system is also apparent. 

B. Other Mineralocorticoids Other mineralocorticoids include deoxycorticosterone, the naturally occurring precursor of aldosterone, and fludrocortisone. The latter has significant glucocorticoid activity. Because of its long duration of action (Table 39-1), fludrocortisone is favored for replacement therapy after adrenalectomy and in other conditions in which mineralocorticoid therapy is needed. 

An II -hydroxylase deficiency is confirmed by finding elevated plasma concentrations of 11-deoxycortisol and deoxycorticosterone, increased concentrations of their metabolites in urine, and their suppression by glucocorticoid therapy (see Chapter 51). Plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations are low in this deficiency. 

Aldosterone and cortisol are not the only adrenal steroids with mineralocorticoid and glucorticoid activities. Corticosterone (4-pregnen-ll S,21-diol-3,20-dione), a glucocorticoid about one-fifth as active as cortisol, has little mineralocorticoid activity relative to aldosterone 11-deoxycorticosterone (DOC) (4-pregnen-21-ol-... 

These war efforts led to the discovery of two major groups of corticoid hormones, the glucocorticoid and the mineralocorticoid hormones. The most active glucocorticoids are cortisone and cortisol. Both these hormones have anti-insulin effects but are without marked effect on sodium retention. Quite to the contrary, they may stimulate sodium and chloride excretion. Aldosterone has only mild corticoid effects, but it has a marked ability to influence the kidney to retain sodium. 17a-Hydroxy deoxycorticosterone, 19-hy-... 

---