[Basis for the use of Pierre's method for the determination of ACTH in human blood plasma].

Adrenal glands of rats were immersed in Ringer-Lock solution (used as control), other rat adrenal glands were immersed in human blood plasma. The amount of corticosterone in the extracts received was estimated after two hours of incubation. The activity of adrenocorticotropic function of the pituitary gland of the patients examined was judged by the difference in the corticosterone indices in these extracts. ACTH (1.5 and 10 mkg) was added to the plasma to determine the sensitivity of this technique. Regular and significant increase in corticosterone was revealed. Modified Pierre's technique can be applied for ACTH determination in man.