Methods: We divided 360 atopic dermatitis patients into six groups in the treatment frequency to compare a treatment effect. We investigated the existence of the diurnal secretion quantity change of adrenal cortex hormone to judge the present condition of the adrenal cortex functions of 1,699 atopic dermatitis patients and bronchial asthma patients. We investigated the spinal condition of 1,028...

Corticosteroids are group of hormones with similar chemical formulas which are secreted by adrenal cortex. The very slight differences in molecular structure of various corticosteroids give them very different functions. The hormonal steroids are classified according to their biologic effects as glucocorticoids, which mainly affect intermediary metabolism and the immune system, and mineralocort...

Reserpine functions as an anti-stress agent providing relaxation to animals under stressful conditions. An attempt was made to find out functions of reserpine in unstressed albino rats and its role in steroidogenesis. The effects of the drug (25 and 35 microg, im daily for 3-5 days) were observed by recording the changes in body weights, concentration of ascorbate (liver and adrenals) and chole...

Our knowledge of the functions of the normal and diseased adrenal cortex in adults is still slight and we know even less about it in newborn babies and in children. In the past few years an increasing number of methods for examining adrenal function have been described. In addition to the determination of the total amount of 17-ketosteroids (17-KS) and of 17-hydroxycorticoids (17-OH) excreted i...

In mammals, adrenal zona fasciculata (AZF) cells of the adrenal cortex secrete glucocorticoids in a diurnal pattern in response to stimulation by adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Superimposed on this basal secretory pattern, physical and psychological stress triggers bursts of ACTH-stimulated cortisol production by activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (Stewart and Krone, 201...

Phospholipases are lipid-metabolizing enzymes that hydrolyze phospholipids. In some cases, their activity results in remodeling of lipids and/or allows the synthesis of other lipids. In other cases, however, and of interest to the topic of adrenal steroidogenesis, phospholipases produce second messengers that modify the function of a cell. In this review, the enzymatic reactions, products, and ...

Adrenal cortical steroidogenesis and proliferation are thought to be modulated by gap junction-mediated direct cell-cell communication of regulatory molecules between cells. Such communication is regulated by the number of gap junction channels between contacting cells, the rate at which information flows between these channels, and the rate of channel turnover. Knowledge of the factors regulat...

Maintenance of redox balance is essential for normal cellular functions. Any perturbation in this balance due to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to oxidative stress and may lead to cell dysfunction/damage/death. Mitochondria are responsible for the majority of cellular ROS production secondary to electron leakage as a consequence of respiration. Furthermore, electron leakage by th...

Oscillating levels of adrenal glucocorticoid hormones are essential for optimal gene expression, and for maintaining physiological and behavioural responsiveness to stress. The biological basis for these oscillations is not known, but a neuronal "pulse generator" within the hypothalamus has remained a popular hypothesis. We demonstrate that pulsatile hypothalamic activity is not required for ge...

As a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator, brain histamine has a variety of physiological roles in brain functions such as hypothalamic- pituitary- adrenal (HPA) activity. Histamine induces the release of ACTH through the activation of hypothalamic neurons containing vasopressin and CRH. Histamine induces the activity of HPA axis directly or indirectly. Endogenous opioids modulate the (HPA) axis ...