The effect of systemic corticosteroids on rabbit articular cartilage

Abstract

Abstract Rabbits were treated for up to 9 weeks with daily doses of cortisone. Cartilage from the distal femur was studied biochemically at regular intervals, and no change in the content of DNA but a significant and progressive decline in the concentration of hexosamine were noted. In vitro incorporation of 35 SO 4 and 3 H‐glycine was depressed markedly. Because the test animals lost 25% of their body weight, a separate group of starved controls were studied and the changes noted were similar to those seen with corticoid treatment but were not as marked.