The Adrenal Ascorbic Acid Content of Molting Hens and the Effect of ACTH on the Adrenal Ascorbic Acid Content of Laying Hens

INTRODUCTION VARIOUS stress agents, such as epinephrine, noxious compounds or exposure to cold in rats as well as in other animals are followed by an almost immediate reduction in the amount of adrenal ascorbic acid as reported by Giroud (1940), Torrance (1940), and Sayers et al. (1946). This change is considered as evidence for an increased adrenal activity in the biogenesis of the steroids. According to Sayers et al. (1945, 1946), this reaction can also be easily evoked in the mammalian adrenal gland by the administration of ACTH alone. However, according to Sturkie (1954) and Noble (1955), the avian adrenal gland seems to behave in an exceptional manner in this respect. No changes in adrenal ascorbic acid content could be obtained after ACTH injections in chickens by Bates et al. (1940), by Jailer and Boas (1950), by Howard and Constable (1958), by Zarrow and Zarrow (1950) in ducks; by Zarrow …