THE EFFECT OF POSTERIOR HYPOPHYSEAL EXTRACT ON THE RETENTION OF WATER AND SALT INJECTED INTO FROGS

Abstract

10% of the body wt. of water solns. of NaCl was injected into frogs out of water and the loss of water measured by weighing the frogs at hourly intervals. Pituitrin and pitocin completely inhibited the loss of added distilled water for 3 hrs. and pitressin was less effective. NaCl added to the distilled water inhibited the water-retaining power of pituitary extracts and over a conc. of 0.7% reversed their action, pitressin being more effective in stimulating loss of salt and water than pituitrin and pitocin. The optimal salt excretory dose of pituitrin was contained in a vol. 40 times less than the optimal water retaining dose. Neurohypo-physeal extracts apparently have 2 principles, one inhibiting loss of water and one stimulating loss of NaCl in frogs.