[Effect of difluprednate on adrenocortical and gonadal function]

The effects of difluprednate on the deposition of liver glycogen, the inhibition of adrenocortical function, the estrogenic, progestational and androgenic activities, and the excretion of electrolytes were investigated by comparing them with those of fluocinonide. The following results were obtained: 1) the deposition of liver glycogen was remarkably increased by subcutaneous administration of these two glucocorticoids, and in the dose of 0.1 mg/kg, the effect of difluprednate (35.1-fold the control value) was larger than that of fluocinonide (19.4-fold the control value) in mice. 2) the administration of difluprednate and fluocinonide greatly induced the decrease in the corticosterone concentration in the rat serum and adrenal gland (0.1 and 1 mg/kg, s.c.). 3) the estrogenic, progestational and androgenic activities were not recognized by administration of difluprednate in rats. 4) the two glucocorticoids induced an increase in the electrolytes excretion (especially K+) and the urine volume. 5) by the repeated injection of difluprednate (1.0 mg/kg) and fluocinonide (0.1 mg/kg), decrease of the body weight was observed in all of the experimental animals. In these experiments, it was recognized that the glucocortical action of difluprednate was similar or more potent in comparison with the action of fluocinonide and that the systemic effects of fluocinonide such as body weight loss was larger than that of difluprednate.