[Cortisol and methylprednisolone secretion by the nasal mucosa]

In eight volunteers, blood, saliva and nasal mucus samples are simultaneously collected every two hours from 8.30 a.m. to 22.30 p.m. Next day, after administration of 20 mg alpha-methyl prednisolone per os, the same sample procedure is applied. Cortisol and alpha-methylprednisolone are measured in each biological medium by direct radioimmunoassay. The episodic secretions of nasal mucus cortisol are significantly correlated with those determined in plasma or in saliva. Concerning alpha-methylprednisolone in nasal mucus, its half-life is about two hours and its feed-back effect on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis is showed.