THE EFFECT OF ACTH ON THE BLOOD LEVEL OF 17-HYDROXYCORTICOSTEROIDS AND THE CIRCULATING EOSINOPHILS IN MAN

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Abstract
A dose of 20 I. U. of ACTH admn. to 11 patients in a single intramusc. injn. induced the max. blood level of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids of 14.5 [mu]g. in about 2 hrs. and the concn. fell again to normal in 6 hrs. When a dose of 20 I. U. of ACTH was admn. as a continuous intraven. infusion to 4 patients, the blood steroid level rose steadily throughout an 8-hr. period and reached a max. value of 29.0 [mu]g. When a dose of 20 I.U. of ACTH-P was admn. in a single intramusc. injn. to 13 patients, a max. blood level of 17-hydroxy-corticosteroids of 17.5 [mu]g. was reached in about 8 hrs. When a dose of 50 I.U. of ACTH-P was admn. in a single intramusc. injn. to 6 patients, the blood steroid level rose steadily to a peak value of 34.5 [mu]g. in about 8 hrs. and was still elevated 24 hrs. after the admn. The eosinopenia follows the rise in the blood level of 17-hydroxy-corticosteroids. Eosinopenia is still present for various periods of time after the steroid level of the blood has returned to normal. ACTH-P has a prolonged effect as compared with the ACTH polypeptide, admn. in the same way. A daily intramusc. injn. of 50 I. U. of ACTH-P has a stimulating effect on the adrenal cortex comparable to a continuous intraven. infusion of 20 I.U. of ACTH.

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