THE IN VITRO INACTIVATION OF PITRESSIN BY NORMAL AND CIRRHOTIC HUMAN LIVER 1

Abstract
The normal water loaded dog was used for the assay of antidiuretic activity remaining after incubation of Pitressin with a cell free homogenate of liver. The homogenate of normal liver regularly inactivated 0.90 milliunits Pitressin/mg. of tissue. In 8 of 9 assays the homogenate obtained from cirrhotic liver inactivated 0.88-0.90 milliunits Pitressin/mg. of tissue. This finding supports the impression that impaired destruction of antidiuretic hormone is not an important factor in the fluid retention associated with hepatic cirrhosis.