Adrenocorticotrophic hormone in the body fluids.

a. Semi-quantitative assays indicate that exposure to urine probably does not inactivate ACTH. b. Urine from normal subjects and patients were assayed for adrenocorticotrophic activity. In two instances there was detection of slight amounts of ACTH. One of these has an individual believed to have Addison’s disease. In four other subjects assays were completely negative. c. Efforts to concentrate the protein content of urine by lyophilization and dialysis, by alkaline extraction of dried urine, by acetone precipitation, and by various protein precipitating agents, all failed. Evidence is presented to indicate that these procedures could not be successful in concentrating spontaneously excreted ACTH. d. The serum or plasma of four patients was assayed and found to be uniformly lacking in ACTH activity. The protein content of plasma could be concentrated threefold by making up lyophilized plasma to one third its original volume .