Effect of Surgical Trauma, ACTH and Adrenal Cortical Hormones on Electrolytes, Water Balance and Gluconeogenesis in Male Chickens

¹ From the Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

Ten-week-old gray leghorn cockerels with ureters surgically exteriorized so that 24-hour samples of feces free urine could be collected were treated with DCA, cortisone acetate and ACTH. The stress of surgically exteriorizing the ureters produced reduction in weight gains and an increased excretion of electrolytes and nitrogenous wastes on days 3 and 4 following the surgery. In addition there was some adrenal hypertrophy. DCA treatment resulted in polyuria, polydipsia, sodium and potassium retention, and an increase in thiocyanate space. Cortisone acetate caused loss in weight, polyuria and increased excretion of sodium, potassium, total nitrogen and uric acid. There was a slight decrease in thiocyanate space and a temporary increase in liver glycogen. ACTH prevented normal weight gains and caused an increase in uric acid and total nitrogen excretion along with an increase in liver glycogen. Although there was no change in electrolyte excretion the sodium and potassium presumed to be released by tissue catabolism made it appear probable that there was retention of electrolytes by the kidneys. ACTH caused a small amount of adrenal hypertrophy. These data show that the hormones secreted by the adrenal of the bird produce effects similar to those in the mammal. The suggestion was made that the bird adrenal may be relatively autonomous and that it, therefore, functions at a relatively high level even in the absence of the anterior pituitary. It was also suggested that the ratio of adrenal steroids secreted, such as aldosterone, corticosterone, and dehydrocorticosterone, may vary according to the physiological needs of the animal.