INHIBITION OF THE CATABOLIC EFFECT OF ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE (ACTH) IN RATS BY A DIET HIGH IN POTASSIUM CHLORIDE1

Abstract

Groups of 5 normal "plateaued" female rats were maintained on the stock diet, on a diet high in KC1, or on/a diet high in NaCl. Food intake was constant and urines were collected daily for total N detn. All animals were given ACTH in increasingly large doses until an increase in urinary N was observed in the animals on the control diet. A similar increase in urinary N was observed in the animals on the high NaCl diet, but not in those on the high KC1 diet. The adrenal wt. and histology of the animals receiving ACTH were indistinguishable whether they were on the control or high KC1 diet. The increase in urinary N produced by ACTH may be inhibited by a diet high in KC1 under the conditions of these expts. and judged by the criteria of adrenal wt. and histology, the high KC1 diet does not inhibit stimulation of the adrenal cortex by ACTH.