THE ASSAY OF NEPHROSCLEROSIS PRODUCING ANTERIOR PITUITARY PREPARATIONS

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Abstract
A method has been developed for assaying the nephrosclerotic activity of ant. pituitary prepns. In this method, [female] or [male] castrate, albino or hooded rats may be employed. They should weigh 40-60 g. initially, and should be sensitized by partial nephrectomy and the admn. of 1% NaCl to drink. In such animals, the subcut. injn. of 10% alcoholic suspension, twice daily for 21 days, consistently induces an incidence of nephrosclerosis of 80 to 100% with an avg. severity of 50 to 90% of the maximal. This is as high an incidence and severity as is seen after 42 days'' treatment with one 50 mgm. desoxycorticosterone acetate pellet implanted subcut. in similarly sensitized [female] albino rats. Equally severe lesions can be produced in adult rats if the dose is increased. Preliminary efforts to isolate the active pituitary principle have not been successful as yet, due to a rapid loss of activity with even slight purification. The activity is not impaired by treatment with NaOH at pH 10 for 10 hrs. at 0[degree]C. The pituitary prepns. employed to produce these lesions invariably caused local skin damage, but beef liver produced similar skin damage with no nephrosclerosis. L.A.P. produced nephrosclerosis even in rats in which overeating was prevented.