The effect of oral metyrapone on aqueous humor dynamics in normal human eyes

We studied the possible influence of oral metyrapone tartrate (which inhibits the adrenal biosynthesis of cortisol) on the rate of aqueous humor flow in 9 eyes of 8 normal subjects by fluorophotometry. On the control day, the mean value of Ko was 1.04 +/- 0.32 min-1 x 10(-2), where Ko was the loss coefficient from the anterior chamber. On the metyrapone trial day, the mean value of Ko was 0.63 +/- 0.15 min-1 x 10(-2). The mean difference in Ko between the two periods was significant (P less than 0.005). These results indicated that systemic metyrapone administration decreases the rate of aqueous humor flow.