Adrenal Cortical Activity in Scorbutic Monkeys and Guinea Pigs

Abstract

Twenty-four-hour urinary excretions of 17-ketosteroids were determined in female guinea pigs and rhesus monkeys during the progress of scurvy. Urinary excretions of both corticosteroids and 17-ketosteroids were also determined in female guinea pigs during the progress of scurvy and in pair-fed normal controls. 17-Ketosteroid excretion diminished in both guinea pigs and monkeys during the early stages of their depletion of ascorbic acid. The excretion of this steroid, however, increased tremendously in all the 3 monkeys and in 7 of 10 guinea pigs, just before the animals died of severe scurvy. In three guinea pigs, the excretion was considerably diminished when they became acutely scorbutic. The excretion of both corticosteroids and 17-ketosteroids increased to a considerable extent in four of five guinea pigs when they became severely scorbutic but in the remaining guinea pig both these excretions diminished when the animal became severely scorbutic. Inanition had little effect on the urinary excretions of these steroids. It is concluded that the levels of steroids of cortical origin in urine may not have any relation to the vitamin C nutrition of the body. Different degrees of stress produced in these animals due to vitamin C deficiency might be responsible for the variation in the excretions of these steroids.