OESTROGEN AND THE EARLY STAGES OF HEXADIMETHRINE NECROSIS OF THE ANTERIOR PITUITARY AND ADRENAL CORTEX
SUMMARY Infarction of the anterior pituitary and adrenal cortex caused by hexadimethrine in experimental animals was found to be variable in incidence and extent. Pretreatment with oestrogen made the lesions more severe and almost of constant occurrence. The early stages of the lesions were studied in rats from 1 to 6 hr. after the administration of hexadimethrine. The local vasospasm which caused the infarction in the adrenal cortex seemed to pass off in 2 or 3 hr. and to be followed by a failed reflow which produced much haemorrhage. On the other hand, it appears that there was little or no reflow into the dead anterior pituitary during the first 6 hr. Necrotic changes did not develop within that period in animals pretreated with oestrogen but secondary thrombosis occurred in vessels of the marginal zones of the necrotic anterior pituitary after about 12 to 24 hr.