THE DETERMINATION OF FORMALDEHYDOGENIC CORTICOIDS IN GUINEA PIG URINE

Abstract

THE ratio adrenal weight/body weight shows a wide variation in different mammals. It is largest in the guinea pig, viz. approximately 0.1% as compared with 0.01% in man (Hartmann and Brownell, 1949). Further advantages in favour of the guinea pig as a laboratory animal in adrenal research are that it is cheap and easy to keep and handle. Recently Burstein (1952) presented a modification of the method for determination of formaldehydogenic corticoids in urine originally used by Doughaday, Jaffe and Williams (1948). This modification has been checked by Rosian (1954) and found suitable for a prolonged study of adrenal cortical activity in the guinea pig. It must be borne in mind, however, that this method of determination does not cover the total excretion of corticoids; only that fraction of adrenal cortical hormones, which liberate formaldehyde on periodic acid oxidation, is assayed quantitatively.