To obtain a therapeutic agent for autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythemtosus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc., high in safety free from glucide corticoid action, having an inhibitory action on autoantibody production and correcting action on lymphocyte abnormality.

This therapeutic agent for autoimmune diseases comprises one of 11β-hydroxy-androstene (or andropstadien)-3,17-dione [androstene (or androstadien)-11B-ol-3,17-dione], their salts and derivatives of one of them, especially one of 11β-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (4-androstene-11B-ol-3,17- dione) and its salts as an active ingredient.