Carleton H. Baker

Effect of Aldosterone and Desoxycorticosterone on Adrenalectomized Dogs.

Summary The minimum daily dose of aldosterone when administered in 10% alcohol to adrenalectomized dogs is approximately 10 μg/dog/day; the dose of the free alcohol of desoxycorticosterone required is 250-125 μg/ day. Thus, aldosterone is about 25 times more active than DOC. The new steroid in low dosage is less efficient in regulating the serum K level than it is in maintaining a normal level of serum Na. Hyperpotassemia and symptoms of adrenal failure may be present in dogs presenting normal levels of serum Na. A larger dose of this mineralocorticoid is required to maintain a normal level of arterial pressure than is necessary to maintain a normal serum electrolyte pattern. Aldosterone appears to possess certain physiological properties which distinguish it from desoxycorticosterone compounds.

Induction of Diabetes Insipidus in Adrenalectomized Dogs with Cortisone.

Summary High cortisone dosage in ad-renalectomized dogs induces marked polyuria and polydipsia. The 24-hour urine volume may exceed control values by 5-10 fold. The daily renal excretion of Na, Cl, and K is increased, but considering the quantity of water eliminated, the urine is very dilute. Pituitrin is effective in controlling the polyuria and polydipsia only when administered in large amounts. The normal water balance was not re-established until long after cortisone injections were discontinued.

Protection Afforded by Aqueous-Alcohol Solutions of Cortisone Against Dextran.

Summary Intramuscular injections of a soluble cortisone are much superior to the microcrystalline suspensions commercially available in affording protection to the 24-hour adrenalectomized rat infused with dextran. The amount of the soluble steroid required to give adequate protection is 30 times less than that found necessary when the suspension is used and the requisite time for prophylactic fore-treatment is reduced from 5 days to 6 hours. The procedure employed in these experiments can be utilized as the basis for a simple screening test for compounds with cortisone-like activity.