CENTRAL ACTIVITY AND STRUCTURE IN A SERIES OF WATER-SOLUBLE STEROIDS

A general survey of the central effects of a series of intravenously administered C-21 steroids has been carried out in the mouse. A high degree of depressant activity was found to be characteristic of nuclear-saturated 3,20 and 3,20,21 oxygenated steroids and their water-soluble esters. Additional nuclear substitution typically reduced or abolished the depressant activity, usually with substitution of central stimulant effects.