THE EFFECT OF ADRENAL CORTEX EXTRACT WITH AND WITHOUT EPINEPHRINE UPON THE WORK OF ADRENALLY INSUFFICIENT RATS

Abstract

Surgically adrenalectomized rats and adrenal enucleated rats were subjected to faradic stimulation of both hind legs 5 times per sec. until death or for 24 hrs. Each rat (200 g. body-wt.) received continuous intraven. infusions at the rate of 20 cc. per 24 hrs. The soln. contained 0.9% NaCl, 0.1% ascorbic acid, various concns. of adrenal cortex extract (ACE), and epinephrine was added to the soln. given one animal of each pair. Glucose was added in some expts. The total work output was proportional to the amt. of ACE admd. but the addition of epinephrine was without apparent direct effect upon total work. Epinephrine in amts. of 20 and 40 ppm. suppressed work. Work was greatly improved by the addition of 200 mg. of glucose per 100 g. of rat per hr.