THE ACTION OF DEOXYCORTICOSTERONE ACETATE AND OF DIETARY SODIUM AND POTASSIUM ON SKELETAL MUSCLE ELECTROLYTE IN ADRENALECTOMIZED RATS

The life of adrenalectomized animals and of patients with adrenal cortical deficiency may be prolonged by maintenance with a diet rich in sodium (Allers, 1935; Harrop, Soffer, Nicholson & Strauss, 1935). Such treatment is also said to afford protection against the toxic effects of potassium. There is known to be a considerable increase of potassium in skeletal muscle in adrenalectomized animals Muntwyler, Mellors, Mautz & Mangun, 1940; Conway & Hingerty, 1946; Cole, 1950 a) which may be ascribed to cellular metabolic changes (Cole, 1950 a, b). This investigation was designed to assess whether or not the increase of muscle potassium, which is reduced by maintenance with deoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) is also modified by the sodium intake, and whether a high sodium intake influences muscle potassium in animals not treated with DCA. Furthermore, it appears that, after adrenalectomy, there is a loss of muscle sodium, probably from the cells (Cole, 1952)