Distribution and metabolism of adrenocorticotropin in the rat

The time course of plasma bioactive adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) concentrations measured following two rapid injections of the hormone at doses of 7.5 and 22.5 mU/100 g, iv, and one infusion over a period of 80 min at a rate of 1.3 mU/min per 100 g, to male Sprague-Dawley rats whose endogenous release of ACTH had been blocked, leads to the conclusion that the hormone is distributed in two compartments. Indeed, the rapid fall of plasma ACTH concentrations in the early minutes following either the injections or the stop of the infusion is followed by a much slower phase. There is no significant difference between the measurements and the two-compartment model outputs. The model represents, on the average, the mean values of the measurements plus or minus 1 standard error for the single injections and plus or minus 1.2 standard error for the infusion.