Adrenal Cortical Function in Experimental Alcoholism in Dogs.

Abstract

Summary The effect of acute ethanol administration on corticosteroid secretion has been studied in dogs by the direct measurement of 17-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration in peripheral plasma, Procedures associated with the basic experimental design such as repeated handling of the animals, intravenous infusion of a sizeable volume of fluid and serial blood sampling over a 6 1/2-hour span of time had no appreciable effect on steroid plasma levels. Intravenous infusion of ethanol in different doses resulted in a significant elevation of plasma 17-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration but because of a high degree of variability in the results, no definite dose-response relationship could be established. Ethanol intoxication did not alter the normal disposal rate of exogenous hydrocortisone after the intravenous administration of this steroid. These observations suggest that the ethanol-induced corticosteroid response in the dog may be mediated by ACTH secretion.