THE EFFECTS OF ENDOCRINE GLAND ABLATION AND OF CORTICOSTEROID SUBSTITUTION ON THE RATE OF WATER TURNOVER IN THE ADRENALECTOMIZED RAT

SUMMARY Using a radioactive isotope technique, water turnover (biological half-life of tritium, T½) has been determined in a number of endocrine deficient states in rats. Water turnover was decreased after adrenalectomy but restored to normal in animals kept on 0·9% NaCl solution. A number of glucocorticoid hormones (cortisone, hydrocortisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone) were also able to restore water turnover to normal in adrenalectomized rats. Water turnover was also decreased in rats which had been thyroidectomized 3–5 days previously, but in chronically thyroidectomized animals or those in which hypothyroidism had been produced by propylthiouracil treatment, no significant change in water turnover could be detected. Propylthiouracil-treated animals kept on 0·5% NaCl solution had an increased water turnover. Water turnover was increased in hypophysectomized animals.