Pharmacological Studies on Irradiated Animals. II. Effect of Cortisone on X-Ray Mortality of Mice. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1. Administration of 0.25 mg cortisone intramuscularly to mice daily for 14 days after their exposures to the LD 60 and 25/14 days of x-rays resulted in a definite increase of the mortality rates produced by these x-ray doses. 2. There was no increase in mortality in the cortisone-treated mice exposed to the minimal lethal dose of x-rays but as in the higher x-ray doses, cortisone treatment produced a shortening of the latent period between irradiation and onset of death, indicating an adverse effect even at this low radiation level. 3. Simultaneous treatment of irradiated mice with cortisone and ascorbic acid did not modify the enhancement of the radiation induced mortality rate produced by the cortisone administration. 4. Some clinical implications of these animal experimental data are briefly mentioned.