Metabolitic activity of 11-deoxycorticosterone and prednisolone in the alga Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck

Abstract

The influence of optimal concentrations 5 x 10<sup>-6</sup>M - 10<sup>-6</sup>M of 11-deoxycorticosterone (mineralocorticoid) and prednisolone (glucocorticoid) on the growth (fresh and dry weight) and content of soluble proteins, reducing sugars and nucleic acids in the green alga <em>Chlorella vulgaris</em> (<em>Chlorophyceae</em>). Both corticosteroids at concentration 5 x 10<sup>-6</sup>M were most strongly active metabolically between the 5th-15th day of the cultivation and this probably was caused by their chemical biotransformation. The applied corticosteroids induced the strongest stimulative effect on the content of soluble proteins in the range of 167-196% and reducing sugars (233-275%) when compared to the control (100%). Prednisolone showed lower stimulative activity on the content of proteins. But 11-deoxycorticosterone showed weaker stimulation of on the content of sugar. Both of the corticosteroids showed a stimulating or inhibitory influence upon the content of nucleic acids in <em>C. vulgaris</em> cells without regard to the concentration.