The effects of chronic SRIH-14 and octreotide administration on the pituitary-adrenal axis in adult male rats

The effects of chronic treatments with SRIH-14 and octreotide on pituitary corticotropes (ACTH cells) and on the adrenal cortex of male Wistar rats were examined. Adult males received two daily s.c. injections of 20 mu g/100 g of body weight of either SRIH-14 or octreotide for 28 consecutive days. ACTH cells were studied using a peroxidase-antiperoxidase immunocytochemical procedure. Morphometry was used to evaluate the changes in cell and nuclear volumes (mu m(3)) and volume densities (%) of ACTH-immunoreactive cells. The adrenal cortex was analyzed by histological and morphometric methods. A significant (p0.05) different than in control rats. The absolute volumes of the adrenal gland and adrenal cortex were significantly (p0.05). The aldosterone levels in the SRIH-14 and ocreotide-treated groups were significantly (p