Structural features and protective activity of dexamethasone and pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile.

Pretreatment with dexamethasone acetate or pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile markedly diminished the pharmacological effect of zoxazolamine in rats. This prophylactic action was associated with significantly decreased plasma drug levels, which, in turn, were correlated with enhanced hepatic drug biotransformation, induced by the steroids. Dexamethasone proved to be more active than pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile in this respect. The A-ring conformation as well as the distances of O-3-O-11, O-11-O-17, and the O-3-mean plane C-5-C-17 may be key factors in glucocorticoid activity, and the longer the distances, the greater the potency. These characteristics have no bearing on catatoxic activity for which the 16 alpha-substituent appears to be a structural prerequisite.