THE FLUORIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF CORTICOSTERONE IN RAT ADRENAL TISSUE AND PLASMA: EFFECT OF ADMINISTERING ACTH SUBCUTANEOUSLY1

Abstract
A simple method whereby true tissue blanks are obtained has been proposed for obtaining the absolute amounts of rat adrenal and plasma corticosterone by sulfuric acid induced fluorescence. Sacrificing rats after nembutal anesthesia brings about a 77% increase of adrenal corticosterone when compared to decapitated rats. Following a single subcutaneous injection of ACTH, the rat adrenal corticosterone level rises to a maximum after 2 hours to 1.06 μg. per adrenal from a resting level of 0.48 μg. The plasma level during the first hour after administration of ACTH rises to 53.1 μg. from a control value of 19.4 μg. per 100 ml.