Failure of Large Doses of Desoxycorticosterone Acetate to Block Mercurial Natriuresis in Adrenalectomized Dogs With Thoracic Inferior Vena Cava Constriction and Ascites

¹ From the Laboratory of Kidney and Electrolyte Metabolism, National Heart Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

Mercurial diuresis was studied in three bilaterally adrenalectomized dogs with thoracic inferior vena cava constriction and ascites. The effect of large doses of DCA (25 mg/day) on the natriuresis produced by mercury was determined. Large doses of DCA did not block the increased sodium excretion caused by Mercuhydrin in two of the three dogs. These findings are not consistent with the hypothesis that mercurial unresponsiveness results from increased amounts of circulating adrenocortical salt-retaining hormone.

Note:
with the surgical assistance of Alfred Casper