Effects of synthetic ovine CRF on ACTH, cortisol and blood pressure in sheep.

Intravenously administered synthetic ovine CRF at doses of 0.1, 1.0 and 10.0 micrograms/kg increased plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations in a dose-dependent fashion in unanesthetized sheep. In two unanesthetized sheep, aortic blood pressure remained relatively unaffected after the intravenous administration of CRF at 5 and 20 micrograms/kg. These results suggest that peripherally administered ovine synthetic CRF specifically stimulates the sheep pituitary-adrenal axis. Unlike other species receiving intravenous synthetic ovine CRF, sheep did not show hypotensive effects.