CAPACITY OF RATS LIVER TO INACTIVATE DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE

Abstract

Pellets of desoxycorticosterone acetate were implanted subcut. and intramesenterically in adrenalectomized animals. The majority of animals with subcut. pellets survived the exptl. period and gained wt. The animals with intramesenteric pellets died at about the same time as the untreated adrenalectomized animals and showed a similar wt. loss. Pellets 3 times as large were then implanted intramesenterically in other exptl. animals. These animals survived longer than the untreated controls and the animals with the smaller intramesenteric pellets. They showed a moderate wt. gain, although the % survival and wt. gain both were less than in the group with the smaller subcut. pellets. A portion of the hormone apparently absorbed from the larger pellets escaped inactivation by the liver. The liver can inactivate desoxycorticosterone acetate, but this ability has quantitative limitations.