title: Pentylenetetrazol effect on adrenocortical maturation in the rat.
abstract: The effect of pentylenetetrazol on adrenal cortex maturation was investigated. Two different groups of weanling Sprague-Dawley female rats were used. At the ages of 23 and 29 days, the animals were treated with pentylenetetrazol (10 mg/kg) for 3 days. Results indicated that pentylenetetrazol decreased plasma corticosterone levels of both age groups. This treatment abolished the corticosterone diurnal variation of the 23-day-old rats, but not that of the 29-day-old rats. An increase in uterine weight was also observed in the pentylenetetrazol-treated animals. Results from this study suggest that CNS stimulation with pentylenetetrazol can alter the adrenal cortex maturation.
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D009929:Organ Size; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D003345:Corticosterone; D010433:Pentylenetetrazole