17.alpha.-Acyloxy-5.beta.-pregnanes (I) and 17.alpha.-acyloxy-5.alpha.-pregnanes (IV) have an excellent activity split providing high topical antiinflammatory activity with very low systemic side effects.
A process for preparing a 1,2-dehydro-3-keto-steroid, which comprises exposing a 1,2-saturated-3-keto-steroid to a preparation containing steroid-1-dehydrogenase activity in the presence of an added electron carrier and a scavenger for toxic oxygen species.