The Physiological Significance of the Cortioosteroids in Parotid Fluid

摘要

A highly sensitive and highly specific technique was devised, utilizing four chromatographic procedures, for the measurement of parotid fluid cortisol and cortisone on 5 ml of parotid fluid, and plasma cortisol on 1 ml of plasma. In addition techniques are described for measuring plasma concentrations of dialyzable cortisol. Unless four chromatographic procedures are used and the tritium labelled acetic anhydride utilized in the double isotope derivative technique is high purified immediately before its use, blank values are too high for the low values found in parotid saliva. Blank values less than 0.1 microgram/100 ml can now be routinely obtained. During the control state the mean value of parotid fluid cortisone is 0.46 microgram/100 ml and parotid fluid cortisol is 0.36 microgram/100 ml. Following ACTH stimulation these values rise to 1.10 and 1.38. The ratio between parotid fluid cortisol and cortisone on the one hand and plasma dialyzable cortisol on the other is significantly lower (1.79) following ACTH treatment than during the control state (3.17). Thus the relationship between parotid fluid cortisol plus cortisone and plasma dialyzable cortisol is considerably more complex than previously thought. (Author)