Changes Produced by Desoxycorticosterone Overdosage in the Rat.

Abstract

Experiments on the rat indicate that chronic treatment with desoxycorticosterone acetate in daily doses of up to 10 mg does not lead to any significant external signs of damage but causes marked hypochloremia and adrenal atrophy. Since the blood sugar and blood volume is not significantly influenced by this treatment, the hypochloremia cannot merely be regarded as a sign of general adrenal insufficiency resulting from the atrophy of the adrenal cortex unless one assumes that the compound interferes specifically with the chloride regulating function of these glands. It should be emphasized, however, that even such doses of desoxycorticosterone acetate which do not suffice to cause significant adrenal atrophy produce definite hypochloremia.