Urinary Excretion of Prednisolone after Intrarectal Therapy in Ulcerative Colitis.

Treatment of ulcerative colitis with betamethasone phosphate enemas was found to cause suppression of the adrenal cortex, so that absorption of betamethasone from the rectum can be inferred; no suppression occurred in similar patients treated with prednisolone phosphate enemas (Matts, Wharton, Kelleher, and Walters, 1963). In order to determine whether any rectal absorption of prednisolone does occur, we have estimated the unconjugated prednisolone and metabolites in the urine of such patients.