Effect of five anti-inflammatory steroids on collagen and glycoaminoglycan synthessis in vitro.

The effect of five anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, i.e. hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone 17-butyrate, betamethasone 17-valerate, nicocortonide acetate and nicocortonide, on the synthesis of hyaluronic acid, sulphated glycosaminoglycans and collagen by cultured skin fibroblasts was studied. As inhibitors of all these parameters the steroids could be arranged in order hydrocortisone < hydrocortisone 17-butyrate < betamethasone 17-valerate, nicocortonide acetate and nicocortonide. The corticosteroid concentrations required for inhibition of hyaluronic acid were very low as compared to those required for inhibition of sulphated glycosaminoglycan and collagen synthesis.