Adrenal Ascorbic Acid and Histological Changes in Male and Female Rats After Half-Body X-Ray Irradiation

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Abstract
Half-body X-irradiation (625r) was found to cause much greater depletion and more active repletion of adrenal ascorbic acid in rats than total body irradiation. The intensity of this response was more acute in the male. Although adrenal glands removed from a lead-shielded body-half were heavier and contained higher levels of ascorbic acid, the contralateral unprotected glands underwent qualitatively similar ascorbic acid changes as well as histological alterations. No severe untoward symptoms, such as diarrhea or morbidity, were observed. Histologically, the tinctorial, physical characteristics and zonal distribution of lipids indicated very active cortical discharge immediately following exposure culminated by exhaustion. It is postulated that half-body irradiation is less noxious symptomatically, and stimulates a greater degree of adrenal reactivity than total-body X-irradiation, since certain humoral and glandular elements (with emphasis on components belonging to the pituitary-adrenal axis), may be afforded protection by a lead shield.[long dash]B. C. Wexler.