STUDIES OF CEREBROSPINAL FLUID FOLLOWING ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF CORTISONE ACETATE OR HYDROCORTISONE

SUMMARY 1. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), obtained in the course of routine air encephalography, was examined for the presence of adrenocortical steroids by the method of extraction followed by paper chromatography. Compounds provisionally identified as cortisone and hydrocortisone were found in approximate concentrations of 0·1–0·2 and 0·2–0·40·4μg/100 ml. respectively. Other uncharacterized compounds were also found. 2. After oral administration of either cortisone acetate or hydrocortisone the concentration in the CSF of the compound considered to be hydrocortisone was increased. This increase was greater after administration of hydrocortisone than after cortisone acetate and was maximal 4–4½ hr after the dose. No increase was detected in the concentration of cortisone. 3. The physiological and therapeutic implications of these results are discussed with special reference to the conversion in vivo of cortisone to hydrocortisone.