THE C H E M I C A L W O R L D T H I S WEEK
Burns, Snake Bite Respond to ACTH C&EN REPORTS: Armour & Co. Conference on ACTH CHICAGO.—New uses pointing to t h e therapeutic versatility of the adrenocorticotrophic h o r m o n e w e r e outlined here a t a recent clinical conference of physicians and others interested in medical research. More than 300 men a n d w o m e n gathered to discuss A C T H for t h e second time a t the invitation of A r m o u r & Co.'s laboratories, principal producers of the hormone. T h e first conference was held here last fall. T h e p r o g r a m of 95 papers reflected the two main lines of investigation being carried on w i t h respect to A C T H . E m phasis was on determination of diseases and tissue injuries which will respond to A C T H as well as the equally important consideration of the fundamental problem of t h e function of t h e h u m a n adrenal glands. It was pointed out t h a t the ACTH acts as an adrenal cortical stimulant and that it is this stimulation, not the drug per se, which causes t h e reversal of the disease processes. F o r this reason, exact dosage recommendations are flexible and d e p e n d upon t h e individual reaction to the stimulation. In contrast, t h e administration of cortisone serves to replenish the normal secretion of 17-hydroxycorticosterone-like steroids.
A single injection oi A C T H countera c t s the poison of the black w i d o w spider a n d the copperhead snake, according to Harley E . Cluxton, director of medical research for Armour. A series of tests on laboratory animals is b e i n g carried on by Armour laboratories using snake venom a n d ACTH u n d e r varying conditions of t i m e and dosage to try to establish a patt e r n of their action, Dr. Cluxton stated. A C T l i has b e e n successfully used in the treatment of severe b u r n s a n d as an adjuvant in skin grafting operations. T w o cases of b a d l y burned children who were running high t e m p e r a t u r e s a n d were a p parently resisting normal recovery arid healing were cited b y F . I I . Adams, E l d o n Berglund, S a m u e l Balkin, and T a g u c Chisholm, all of t h e University of M i n n e sota school of medicine. T h e doctors rep o r t e d that both cases r e s p o n d e d quickly to ACTH tlierapy a n d that subsequent skin grafts w e r e successful. A research team from D u k e University described the case of a nine-year-old
T r a c e r Studies Tracer studies using radioactive iodine 131 a t t a c h e d to the A C T H molecule were reported b y M a r t i n Sonenberg, A. S. Keston, a n d W . L. Money, Memorial Hospital of N e w York. Chemical tests showed that most of t h e iodinated hormone, after injection in t h e hearts of male white rats, quickly found its way to t h e adrenals, b u t disappeared completely within two hours, Dr. Sonenberg said. Radioaudiographic studies of the rat organs s h o w e d t h a t t h e primary concentration of t h e " t a g g e d " molecules was in t h e cortex a n d t h a t t h e degree of concentration was r e l a t e d t o t h e purity of the A C T H . It "was found t h a t rats subjected to stress and t h e n given the hormone showed t h e highest concentration in t h e adrenals. Intravenous administration of ACTH gives t h e m o s t satisfactory results in clinical tests according to E d g a r S. Gordon, University of Wisconsin. T h e method chosen was t h e "constant d r i p " technique by which t h e h o r m o n e in a 5 % glucose solution was d r i p p e d slowly into a vein at t h e elbow. Dr. Gordon reported that this m e t h o d insures a prolonged "stimulation pressure" on t h e adrenals and that the total effect was m u c h greater than with t h e brief stimulation given byh y p o d e r m i c injections. V O L U M E
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boy burned over four years a g o and w h o had u n d e r g o n e 42 unsuccessful skin gi.if ting operations. He w a s g i v e n a two day preliminary build-up with A C T H and the skin grafting tried again. This t i m e 80% oi the grafts survived; subsequent operations with A C T H injections prior to and also for a period after t h e operations w e r e similarly successful. Use of A C T H in the t r e a t m e n t of premature babies was r e p o r t e d b y S. Levine, H. Barnett, C. Bierman, a n d II. McNainara, Cornell University, N e w York I Iospital. Babies on a high protein, ascorbic acid-free diet d e v e l o p e d defects in the metabolism of tyrosine a n d phenylalanine which could be corrected immediately with t h e administration of ascorbic acid. A C T H was also found to correct t h e metabolic defect, b u t its effect was not as rapid. T h e d o c t o r s are continuing their work in an effort t o determine the reason for the difference in the action of the hormone a n d the vitamin. Speaking at the b a n q u e t concluding the clinical conference, T. E. Hicks, general manager of Armour's laboratories, stressed the need for cooperation b e t w e e n t h e scientists a n d the businessman. " M u t u a l appreciation instead of m u t u a l misunderstanding a n d resentment, cooperation instead of disdainful rejection—these mean team work and progress all a r o u n d , " Mr. Hicks said.
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