Abstract

Postnatal changes in liver corticosterone metabolism in vitro were investigated in male rats pretreated for three days twice daily by physiological saline i.p./stress/ or by phenobarbital /20 mg/kg/. Perinatally, both stress and phenobarbital decrease corticosterone side chain metabolism while no change was observed in A ring reduction rate. In older animals no effect of the stress on corticosterone metabolism was observed. The inhibitory influence of phenobarbital on the side chain metabolism was still apparent at age of 14 days, but not in adult animals. The A ring reduction rate was increased by phenobarbital at age of 14 days and in adult animals. Measurements of serum corticosterone and corticosterone production by adrenal glands in vitro confirmed earlier reports showing that during perinatal period increased level of circulating corticosterone can be associated with minor or transient changes in adrenal cortex activity. It is concluded that changes in liver corticosterone metabolism are likely to play an important role in regulation of glucocorticoid activity perinatally when the responsiveness of pituitary-adrenal system to environmental stimuli is decreased.

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