Plasma corticosterone and adrenal ascorbic acid levels in adeno- and neurohypophysectomized rats given epinephrine postoperatively

¹ Departments of Biochemistry Research and Pharmacology, Armour Pharmaceutical Company, Kankakee, Illinois

Studies in female Sprague-Dawley rats have shown that 24 hours after surgery, total and adenohypophysectomy blocks increased plasma corticosterone and adrenal ascorbic acid depletion responses following epinephrine. Neurohypophysectomy did not inhibit the increased plasma corticosterone changes, but did block adrenal ascorbic acid depletion response following epinephrine. In the intact animals, epinephrine elicited the elevation of plasma corticosterone and adrenal ascorbic acid depletion.