[Effect of ACTH on plasma renin activity, aldosterone level and deoxycorticosterone level in humans (author's...

Plasma aldosterone level (PAL) and deoxycorticosterone level (PDL) were determined in 5 subjects of normal sodium intake and 5 subjects of low sodium intake after the intramuscular administrations of ACTH (Upjohn, Cortrosyn) 40 IU, using radioligand methods. PAL and PDL reached their peaks at one hour after the administrations of ACTH, and then decreased in their normal ranges. Pretreated with the oral administrations of Dexamethasone 2 mg/day for 2 days, these subjects had, when ACTH were injected, such a similiar pattern in PAL and PDL as the peak of one hour and the consecutive falling without the pretreating of Dexamethasone. PAL and PDL of these subjects were not different between normal sodium intake and low sodium intake during the course of the experiment.