Effects of carbenoxolone administered acutely to adrenalectomized rats (in vivo) on renal and hepatic handling of corticosterone by 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.

The in vivo effect(s) of carbenoxolone (CS) on renal 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11 beta-OHSD), hepatic 11 beta-OHSD, and 5 beta-reductase enzymatic activity was investigated, under conditions previously shown to confer mineralocorticoid (MC)-like activity on the glucocorticoids cortisol and corticosterone; it has been suggested that this Na+ retention is linked to inhibition of renal 11 beta-OHSD. The results show that acute administration of CS [2.5 mg/rat for 0.5 or 2 hours; and 10 or 25 mg/rat for 2 hours subcutaneously (sc)] to rats caused no inhibition of 11 beta-OHSD activity in kidney homogenates, minces, and microsomes when compared with controls. However, addition of 50 nM CS to the incubation medium completely inhibited the 11 beta-OHSD activity in kidney homogenates and microsomes (from controls or CS-injected rats). In contrast, hepatic microsomal 11 beta-OHSD was significantly inhibited after in vivo treatment with CS (P < 0.05) using 2 microM and 50 microM corticosterone, as was 5 beta-reductase (P < 0.05) using 4 microM corticosterone as substrate. However, chronic glycyrrhizin administration (15 mg/rat/day sc for 14 days) significantly inhibited renal 11 beta-OHSD activity when assayed in minces or homogenates. Thus, it appears that when CS is administered acutely, its effects are primarily on hepatic 11 beta-OHSD and 5 beta-reductase with no inhibition of renal 11 beta-OHSD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)