Effect of Cortisone and ACTH on Eosinophils and Anaphylactic Shock in Guinea Pigs

Abstract

A series of 76 guinea pigs, previously sensitized to egg white, were divided into 3 groups in which the sexes were about equally divided. 27 animals received 30 mg. of cortisone, 26 animals received 15 mg. of ACTH, and 23 animals were given saline soln. In all instances the materials were injd intramus. in the vol. of 1.2 ml. During the control period, before the injns. were given, the mean no. of eosinophils/cu.mm. of blood was 155 [plus or minus] 11 in the females and 45 [plus or minus] 6 in the males. Somewhat lower values were obtained in a small series of counts on unsensitized animals. Cortisone produced a pronounced eosinopenia in both male and female animals. Following the injns. of ACTH there was a prompt eosinopenia in the males but no consistent change in the no. of eosinophils in the females. Neither the cortisone nor the ACTH injns. had any effect on the degree of anaphylactic shock produced by the intraven. injn. of the sensitizing agent. All the animals in the 3 groups experienced typical symptoms of anaphylaxis and died within 20 min. of receiving the antigen. The voluminous lungs characteristic of anaphylactic shock in the guinea pigs were present in 74 of the 76 animals tested. Patchy emphysema was found in the lungs of the other 2 animals.