title: Aminoglutethimide and glutethimide: effects on 18-hydroxycorticosterone biosynthesis by human and sheep adrenals in vitro.
abstract: The conversion of [1,2-3H]corticosterone to 18-hydroxycorticosterone in vitro was studied on human and animal adrenal tissue homogenates. Human adrenals were surgically resected from a patient with Cushing's disease. Sheep adrenal homogenates were prepared from the pooled glands of 20 animals. Incubations supplemented with a NADPH generating system were performed in order to evaluate the effect of aminoglutethimide and its closely related compound glutethimide on corticosterone 18-hydroxylation in vitro. Increasing concentrations of the two drugs were assayed on both human and animal adrenal homogenates. Aminoglutethimide was clearly found to inhibit corticosterone 18-hydroxylation in sheep adrenal homogenates as a 72.6% inhibition occurred in the presence of only 0.2 mumole of the drug. Inhibition reached 91.1% in the presence of 0.5 mumole aminoglutethimide. When added to the human incubated adrenal, a 59.4% inhibition occurred in the presence of 0.5 mumole aminoglutethimide. Glutethimide, a sedative of wide clinical usage, was also found to inhibit corticosterone 18-hydroxylation but the inhibitory effect occurred only in the presence of much higher concentrations. In fact, 5.0 mumoles were necessary to obtain a 43.9% inhibition of 18-hydroxycorticosterone synthesis. This study clearly demonstrates the marked inhibitory effect of aminoglutethimide on corticosterone 18-hydroxylation. Glutethimide, to a lesser extent, also inhibits 18-hydroxycorticosterone synthesis.
mesh_terms: D015069:18-Hydroxycorticosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000616:Aminoglutethimide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D005260:Female; D005984:Glutethimide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006900:Hydroxylation; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D000616:Aminoglutethimide; D015069:18-Hydroxycorticosterone; D005984:Glutethimide; D003345:Corticosterone