Abstract
It has been noted that administration of adrenocortical hormones as well as synthetic adrenal steroids give rise to a marked inhibition of adrenal function. However a few reports referring to a counteraction against this depressive effect of adrenal steroid have been presented. Onuki et al. (1) have reported that, although xylitol seems to slightly protect a depression of corticoid biosynthesis in the adrenals resulting from prednisolone administration, the effect is not statistically significant. Recently, it has been reported that reserpine obviously counteracts a inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on the adrenals, and this effect is presumably not due to a depression of corticotrophin secretion by reserpine but due to its stimulative effect on the hypophysial-adrenal axis (2). These results are elicited of some interest in view of counteraction between the corticoid-induced adrenal inhibition and the stress which is proposed to stimulate the hypophysial-adrenal system.
