A COMPARISON OF THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF CORTICOSTERONE AND 17-HYDROXYCORTICOSTERONE ON BODY WEIGHT AND THE URINARY EXCRETION OF SODIUM, CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM, NITROGEN AND GLUCOSE IN THE NORMAL RAT

Abstract

Male rats of approx. 300 g. initial wt. were force-fed a high carbohydrate diet. Glyeosuria with hyperglycemia was induced in 4 of 5 rats given 5 mg. of 17-hydroxycorticosterone /day and in 2 of 5 rats given 5 mg. of corticosterone/day. At this dosage level, an increase in the excretion of Na, Cl, K and N was caused by each compound, the greatest response being caused by the 17-oxygenated compound. At smaller doses 17-hydroxycorticosterone, but not corticosterone, caused a temporary increase in Na excretion, and the latter compound had less effect on wt. and N balance.