Mouse Thymocyte Cytolysis of Several Anti-inflammatory Steroid Derivatives

For evaluating the cytolytic effects on the mouse thymocytes, four typical antiinflammatory steroids (dexamethasone, triamcinolone acetonide, prednisolone, hydrocortisone) were selected in this study. When steroids were treated to the mouse thymocytes in vitro cytolysis occurred with dose-dependent fashion and the activities were found to be paralle with the known local anti-inflammatory activities. In vivo thymus atrophogenic activities appeared by the treatment of topical and subcutaneous applications of the derivatives were also found to dose-dependent, but not coincided with the thymocyte cytolytic activities in vitro and local anti-inflammaatory activity in the case of triamcinolone acetonide. Triamicinolone acetonide induced potent thymocyte cytolysis in vitro, but showed less thymus atrophy.