Influence of hypophyseal corticotropin and of adreno-cortical hormones on urinary elimination of 5-hydroxy-indole-acetic acid

Abstract

The urinary excrétion of 5-hydroxy-indole-acetic acid was studied in three groups of patients : In the first and in the se­ cond groups, the patients were subjected to the action of corticotropin injected intramuscularly or intravenously. In these groups there was a significant decrease in the urinary output of 5-hydroxy-indole-acetic acid. In the third group which was formed by a single patient adrenalectomised for breast cancer an increase of urinary 5-hydroxy-indole-acetic acid was observed that coincided with a decrease of urinary corticoids

These results are in agréé with the experimental findings of Hicks and West who found a decrease of 5-hydroxytriptamine in the tissues following cortisone administration.