Urinary Cortisol ELISA Kit

Cortisol is a steroid hormone released from the adrenal cortex in response to an hormone called ACTH (produced by the pituitary gland), it is involved in the response to stress; it increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels, may cause infertility in women, and suppresses the immune system.

Cortisol acts through specific intracellular receptors and has effects in numerous physiologic systems, including immune function, glucose-counter regulation, vascular tone, substrate utilization and bone metabolism. Cortisol is excreted primarily in urine in an unbound (free) form.

Cortisol is bound, in plasma, from corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG, transcotin), with high affinity, and from albumin. Only free cortisol is available to most receptors. These normal endogenous functions are the basis for the physiological consequences of chronic stress – prolonged cortisol secretion causes muscle wastage, hyperglycaemia, and suppresses immune / inflammatory responses. The same consequences arise from long-term use of glucocorticoid drugs.

The free cortisol fraction represents the metabolically active cortisol. In normal conditions, less than 1% is excreted in urine. In pathological conditions (Cushing syndrome), free urinary cortisol levels are very high as excess plasma cortisol does not bind to the CBG, so is excreted in urine.

During pregnancy or estro-progestogen treatment an increase of plasmatic cortisol caused by an increment of the production of the transport protein, but the levels of free urinary cortisol results normal to indicate a correct adrenal function.

This test is very useful to estimate the real adrenal function, since free cortisol is the metabolically active form. Moreover, the measurement of free urinary cortisol is the better parameter for the diagnosis of the Cushing’s syndrome.

This product is manufactured in Italy by Diametra.