PRODUCTION AND INHIBITION OF HYPERTENSIVE DISEASE IN THE RAT BY CORTICOSTERONE1

Abstract

Uninephrecto-mized, salt-treated rats with intact adrenals, enucleated adrenals and no adrenals were administered corticosterone in daily doses of 1 mg and 5 mg. The larger dose produced severe hypertensive disease in all groups but the smaller dose did not. Adrenal-regeneration was virtually abolished by 5 mg and partially inhibited by 1 mg of corticosterone daily. The development of hypertensive disease in rats bearing regenerating adrenals was also prevented by 1 mg of this steroid. These observations suggest but do not prove that regenerating adrenal cortical tissue produces less than 1 mg of corticosterone daily. Hence, it seems reasonable to conclude that the hypertensive disease which develops following adrenal-enucleation can only be ascribed to this steroid if the period of relative adrenal cortical insufficiency following enucleation somehow sensitizes the organism to its hypertensive properties.