FACTORS AFFECTING SURVIVAL IN ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS1

Abstract

IN THE COURSE of studies on the alteration of melanin metabolism in adrenalectomized black rats maintained on diets deficient in the filtrate factors of Vitamin B (Ralli and Graef 1943, 1945), it was observed that survival after adrenalectomy was greatly prolonged when the diets were supplemented with a rice bran extract. The present report is concerned with the comparative effects of adrenal cortical extract, desoxy-corticosterone acetate, and calcium pantothenate, with or without 1 per cent sodium chloride solution, on the survival of adrenalectomized black rats. Thirty-five day old black rats bred in the laboratories were placed on the filtrate factor deficient diet as previously reported (Ralli and Graef, 1943) and maintained on this diet for 30 to 35 days at which time the adrenal glands were extirpated.