THE ALDOSTERONE SECRETORY RESPONSE TO SODIUM RESTRICTION IN CHRONICALLY HYPOPHYSECTOMIZED CORTICOTROPHIN-MAINTAINED RATS AS A FUNCTION OF DURATION AND AMOUNT OF GROWTH HORMONE TREATMENT

Abstract

Daily administration of growth hormone (STH) to hypophysectomized rats treated with adrenal maintenance doses of corticotrophin restored the aldosterone secretory response (as measured by the synthetic capacity of the adrenal in vitro) to sodium restriction. Treatment with STH for the first 2 days after hypophysectomy or on the 7th day after hypophysectomy failed, but treatment during the 6th and 7th day after hypophysectomy with 100, 200 or 400 μg STH/day restored the aldosterone secretory response to sodium deprivation in a dose-dependent manner.