On the Cortical Hormone of the Adrenal Gland. ∗

Abstract

The crude lipid extract of beef adrenal cortex 1 and the aqueous extract 2 obtained from the active lipid fraction contain, with the cortical hormone, small quantities of adrenalin. The adrenalin content of the aqueous extract is sufficiently low to permit the demonstration of its efficacy in maintaining indefinitely the lives of adrenalectomized cats. 2 , 3

A simple method for the separation of adrenalin from the cortical hormone has been found. 4 The 70% alcohol soluble fraction obtained by our previously described method 2 is transferred to 95% alcohol and filtered through permutit. An extract with an adrenalin concentration of less than 1:2,000,000 (bio-assay-blood pressure) and a tissue equivalent of 30 gm. of cortex per cubic centimeter can be prepared by filtering through permutit twice using 20 gm. per kilo of tissue on the first filtration and 10 gm. per kilo on the second. The active material remaining in the permutit filter after each filtration is washed out with alcohol. The active fraction is transferred to water and the extract clarified by Seitz filtration. Besides adrenalin the permutit removes most of the contaminating pigment substances along with other inert material.

Intravenous injections of this type of extract have been used successfully in the crises of Addison's disease. 5

Fractionation with permutit has made possible the preparation of active extracts from whole beef adrenal glands thereby doing away with the expense of dissection. These extracts have been found to be just as active in restoring prostrate adrenalectomized cats to apparently normal health as extracts prepared from dissected adrenal cortex. Whole adrenal gland extract (1 cc. equivalent to 50 gm. of whole gland) has an adrenalin content of approximately 1:2,500,000. This extract has been found suitable for subcutaneous, intraperitoneal and intravenous use. The solid content ranges in different batches from 0.3 to 0.4%.