BIOLOGICAL STUDIES WITH ELECTROCORTIN (ALDOSTERONE)1

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Abstract
Since the pioneer work on the isolation of adrenal cortical steroids, it has been recognized that there probabty existed one or more unidentified adrenal substances of exceptionally high biological activity in the “amorphous fraction” of adrenal extracts. More recently Simpson and Tait (1953), and Grundy, et al. (1952) detected in adrenal extracts, adrenal perfusates and adrenal vein blood a substance much more potent than any known adrenal steroid in affecting electrolyte excretion. They designated this unidentified material electrocortin. A substance with similar properties has been found in human urine by Luetscher and Johnson (1954) and others and in the blood of dogs by Farrell and Richards (1953). In September of 1953, the first announcement was made of the crystallization of electrocortin from adrenal extracts by Simpson, Tait, Wettstein, Neher, von Euw and Reichstein (1953). Using the same source materials, Mattox, Mason and Albert (1953) reported in October the crystallization of minute quantities of either