Abstract
1. 28-days treatment with 5mg Cortisone daily produces in guinea-pigs the wellknown atrophy of the adrenals, associated with a low nuclear volume of the fasciculata cells of the adrenal cortex and a decreased 17-OHCS excretion in urine, comparable to hypophysectomized animals. Eight to ten days after discontinuing the Cortisone treatment, during which period there is no reaction to stressful stimuli, the reduced levels increase and exceed its previous values in the so called “Rebound-phenomenon”.
2. After simultaneous treatment with 0.1mg Oestradiol-proprionate or 0.5mg Methandrostenolone respectively the adrenal atrophy can be prevented and the reaction to stress seems to occur earlier than in animals treated with Cortisone only. The 17-OHCS excretion remains low, possibly because of metabolic alterations.
