Why would the hormone ACTH have absolutely no direct effect

Why would the hormone ACTH have absolutely no direct effect on skeletal muscle?

Solution

ACTH causes release of cortisol which in turn stimulates (the formation of glucose) gluconeogenesis , and also does activation of antistress and anti-inflammatory pathways. Cortisol has been shown to play the important, but indirect, role in glycogenolysis in muscle and liver, which is a process of breaking down of glycogen to glucose-1-phosphate and glucose units. This is achieved by its passive influence on glucagon. Apart from this , cortisol also functions in the activation of glycogen phosphorylase.

Hence from all the conclusions above we see ACTH acts on skeltal muscles indirectly via cortisol and other intermediates and does not itself play a direct role but is an important player in the final consquences

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