THE EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS ACTH ON THE BLOOD LEVEL OF ASCORBIC ACID AND OF SULFHYDRYL AS DETERMINED BY A MODIFIED AMPEROMETRIC TECHNIQUES*†

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Abstract
Changes in blood sulfhydryl levels during intrav. infusion of ACTH were studied in 15 individuals. The changes were compared with those obtained during infusion of saline, and showed a consistent drop after 4 hours of infusion. This alteration could be reproduced on successive days in the same patient. The blood sulfhydryl (SH) level after 8 hours of infusion (10 mg. of ACTH) showed a return to the control values in most cases, revealing that the depression of the SH level during ACTH infusion is transitory. Detn. of blood ascorbic acid concn. in the same patients showed a progressive and not a transitory depression. A technique of amperometric titration of SH groups, based on the method of Kolthoff and Harris is descr. The method is more specific for SH groups and eliminates technical difficulties previously encountered at low levels of sulfhydryl.