Body and Muscle Weight Depressing Effects and Thymolytic Potencies of Glucocorticoids in the Rat

Summary The effects of hydrocortisone, prednisolone, methylprednisolone, dexamethasone or triamcinolone on body weights, the weights of the rectus femoris, triceps brachialis and gastrocnemius muscles and food consumption were studied in normal male rats, weighing 87–111 g. Subcutaneous administration of the aforementioned glucocorticoids, once a day for 10 consecutive days, elicited a reduction in body weights, muscle weights and food consumption which appeared roughly proportional to the relative thymolytic potency of each glucocorticoid. From pair-feeding experiments, it was apparent that the reduction in food consumption accounted for 53–65% of the total body weight losses. Muscle weight losses were similarly affected. It was concluded that glucocorticoids have similar quantitative effects on body and muscle weights of the rat if administered at equipotent thymolytic doses.