PROTECTION OF MICE AGAINST POTASSIUM POISONING BY CORTICOADRENAL HORMONES

Abstract

The L.D. 50% for immature [male] mice weighing 9 to 11 gm. is 6.65 mg. KCl per 10 gm. body wt. that for ad-renalectomized mice is 5.75 mg., and for normal mice after inj. of 1 mg. of desoxycorticosterone acetate is 7.7 mg. Resistance of adrenalectomized mice to K poisoning may be raised above that of normal animals by appropriate doses of hormone. A linear relationship is established be-tween % survival following inj. of KCl (7.5 mg.) to mice, and the logarithm of the dose of hormone previously given. The relationship does not hold when the dose of desoxy-corticosterone acetate administered exceeds 0.5 mg., with the given dose of KCl. A rapid and simple assay method, based on this relationship, is descr. The wt. of mice follow-ing adrenalectomy varies roughly parallel with the dose of hormone given. As assayed by the Bomskov test 1 mg. of hormone contains 30; Bomskov M. U.