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THE INFLUENCE OF ACTH ON THE SODIUM AND POTASSIUM CONCENTRATION OF HUMAN MIXED SALIVA

Gerontologic Unit, Allan Memorial Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry McGill University Montreal, Canada

RECENT studies indicate that ACTH can stimulate the salt-regulating function of the adrenal cortex in humans, thereby decreasing the excretion of sodium and increasing that of potassium in the urine (1, 2, 3), and decreasing the sodium concentration of sweat (3, 4). However, there are certain technical difficulties involved in the collection of suitable specimens of these fluids for this type of investigation. Hence, the influence of ACTH on sodium and potassium concentration was investigated in saliva because of its easy availability. This paper will indicate that the use of saliva has other advantages.

Methods: Four patients receiving ACTH¹ for therapeutic reasons were investigated; 3 were psychoneurotic (2 women, J.L. and K.H.; and 1 man, G.M.)² and the fourth had emphysema (a male, K.R.). ACTH was administered intramuscularly every four to six hours (see Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 for dosage levels), and placebo injections were administered for several days after treatment.³ The sodium and potassium intake of these patients was not controlled throughout the period of study; only K.R.'s diet deviated from the routine hospital fare, in that it had a fixed protein (100 grams) and caloric (2,700 calories) content.

Received October 27, 1951.

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